Justin Fields ‘felt good' throwing for first time since injury in return to Bears practice
Justin Fields ‘felt good' throwing for first time since injury in return to Bears practice originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears quarterback Justin Fields took the practice field for the first time since his injury Friday, where he threw for the first time in 19 days with the assistance of a glove.
The third-year quarterback suffered a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand in the Bears' Week 6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Fields has been working with trainers to regain enough grip strength to throw and finally got the go-ahead to take the next step in his rehab on Friday.
“It felt good," Fields said Friday at Halas Hall of throwing again. "First day back throwing today. But I have to use a glove right now, but it’s progressing.
“It’s been tough," Fields said later of not being able to play. "It’s definitely felt longer than that, I can tell you that, but just doing what I can, being the best teammate that I can, just helping Tyson and the rest of the guys get ready to play each and every week."
While he has progressed from week-to-week to day-to-day, he still has work to do in his rehab to get back out on the field on Sundays.
“It’s not fully back, no, and there’s, of course, still a little bit of pain," Fields said of his grip strength. "But like I said, I’ve been preparing like I’m going to play and just meetings, walk-throughs, just been locked in.”
The Bears listed Fields as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Saints in New Orleans. Head coach Matt Eberflus said it's "51 percent" that Fields won't play. No player that the Bears have listed as doubtful has played since Eberflus became head coach.
Undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent will make his third career start.
It's unlikely Fields will play Sunday. The Bears previously ruled him out Monday, but the rehab progression has at least cracked the door open for him to play in New Orleans. The next 48 hours, specifically how he feels Saturday after throwing for the first time in almost three weeks, will dictate his status.
“Just rehab, get treatment and mentally just doing the same thing I do every week as if I were playing," Fields said of his next 48 hours. "But, yeah, just seeing how I feel tomorrow, because today was the most I’ve thrown in that two-week span, but just getting ready for it.
“Just if I’m gonna be able to make all the throws and be able to withstand hits and stuff like that during the game," Fields said when asked what will determine his status for Sunday.
It's unlikely Fields will play Sunday. He could return in Week 10 if he continues to progress.
"That’s really depending on Justin, where his pain tolerance is when he throws and then also the functionality of it, where it goes from there," head coach Matt Eberflus said about Fields returning to face the Panthers on Thursday night. "It’s day to day and then the trainers, where the trainers say he is, and we work through it and look at it is as a coaching staff and say, ‘Hey, this is where he is. He’s accurate. Looks good. everything looks on point,’ and go from there."
Fields was thankful to have avoided surgery and does not believe he will need it in the future.
If Fields can't go, the Bears will again turn to Bagent, and Fields will do whatever he can to help the undrafted rookie thrive in a raucous environment in New Orleans.
"The first game, against the Raiders, he played great," Fields said of Bagent. "He played his butt off. He just wants to learn each and every day, and he knows he can come to me for any questions and I’ll help him out. But he’s been great. He’s been leading the guys. He’s ready to go.”
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