Jaquan Brisker Back from Thumb Injury

Something remarkable happened at Halas Hall Wednesday as August work ended.

Injury news was reported.

Of course, the player is done for the year and that's why the report occurred, because coach Matt Eberflus doesn't need to talk about injuries until after the injury report comes out late in the day on Sept. 6.

The injury reported was the mystery of Bears camp. It was Tajae Sharpe's rib injury that landed him on IR. As a result, he's out for the year after suffering the injury the first preseason game.

It seems like a rather severe rib injury if it could put a player out for the season after it occurred in mid-August.

Whatever.

This put added pressure on the receiver corps considering Byron Pringle has not yet begun practicing due to a quad injury, and N'Keal Harry has a high ankle sprain that required surgery.

Not all their injury news was bad as players like Jaquan Brisker (thumb), cornerback Jaylon Johnson, running back Trestan Ebner and defensive tackle Angelo Blackson returned to practice. Brisker has a protective cast on the injury.

Brisker made a smashing debut in the first preseason game with the Chiefs, practically causing an entire three-and-out himself.

"Everything's almost back to normal, so I'll be fine," he said.

Brisker didn't think the injury was serious at first.

"To be honest, I thought I was going to practice the same day," he said. "I was like just going in hoping I was going to speak to him for 30 seconds and walk right out, but they pulled me in there for a little longer, so I knew it was something big.

"I just was like, 'good thing it's just a thumb.' I'm thankful it's nothing else."

It was particularly aggravating to Brisker to be out. He had felt at OTAs he diminished his own impact by experimenting with playing at a heavier weight, sometimes 10 pounds heavier.

It didn't have an effect, so now he is back to 205.

"Once OTAs had cleared out and we got back to camp, I couldn't wait to get back to camp so I could show who I really was," Brisker said. "I felt like in OTAs I was trying little weights and things like that, trying to be like 215, just trying little things like that.

"But once I came back to camp, I got back to my original weight, got back to myself, was training back home with my trainer, came back, I already knew the plays, just come out, flying around, do what I do."

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