Bears LB Briggs cleared to play

Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs was medically cleared to play but he is questionable for Sunday's game at the Philadelphia Eagles.

Briggs has been out for eight weeks with a shoulder fracture. He was injured Oct. 20 against the Washington Redskins.

Briggs fully participated in practice Friday, after he was limited Wednesday and Thursday.

"I'm very optimistic," coach Marc Trestman said Friday. "He practiced for three days. He's been cleared by the doctors. We'll list him as questionable up until game time. He'll work out before the game and we'll see where he's at. But I wouldn't want to say that he's gonna play, he's gonna start. I think that's still 48 hours away. But certainly as we began the week fully optimistic, even more now since he's been cleared by the doctors."

It is not certain how many snaps Briggs will be able to play or how productive he will be in his first game back, if he ends up playing. The Bears are last in the NFL in run defense, facing an Eagles offense that is No. 1 in the league at 152.9 rushing yards per game and features running back LeSean McCoy.

"He's an emotional leader," Trestman said of Briggs. "He's a tremendous football player. He's been out of it for a while. There may be some rust, there may not be. We'll see. That's not the important thing. The important thing is he's gonna impact our team in the huddle."

Briggs, a seven-time Pro Bowler, has 75 tackles in seven games this year, including nine for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.