LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears second-year safety Jaquan Brisker has missed almost a month of practice, but he appears to be trending in the right direction as the Bears prepare to open their season on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.
While most of the Bears took the three-day break to visit family, Brisker stayed behind to go through important rehab. He stretched and had a helmet during the brief media-viewing period for Monday's short, light practice at Halas Hall.
"Like I said last week, he is right there," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said Monday of Brisker. "He's progressing. Wednesday's going to be a big day for him, but it looks on the positive side right now. We're looking at that. He had really good workouts this weekend, as did [safety Eddie Jackson]. We're looking at both those guys in a positive way and Wednesday will tell us more."
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Brisker knows Wednesday will be an important checkpoint for his Week 1 availability but is confident he'll get the green light to take the field Sunday.
"I feel good," Brisker said Monday. "I feel like I'm just taking it one day at a time. I'm just being where my feet is, so today it went great. Tomorrow also keep going forward, and then Wednesday, we'll see what Wednesday looks like."
Brisker wouldn't divulge his injury but said physically, he is night and day compared to where he was a few weeks ago.
"Way better," Brisker said. "A lot better. Two weeks ago, I couldn't really do too much. It really wasn't looking promising. But now I'm looking forward to Wednesday. It's going to be a big day for me."
BEARS ANALYSIS
Prior to his injury, Brisker was arguably the best player during the early stages of Bears training camp.
The Penn State product promised a "new" version of himself in Year 2. Through a week-and-a-half of camp, that proclamation appeared prescient. Brisker could feel the difference in his early camp performance and is ready to get back to that level and build off it.
"All-Pro camp," Brisker said when asked how he felt he was playing before the injury. "I'm telling you. Never seen it before, but I'm still going to stay on that path. I'm still going to work my way in, but I'm still aiming for that All-Pro.
"I got a lot stronger. Before camp, I wasn't as strong as I am now, as fast as I am now. I feel great. I'm not going to lie."
If there was a confidence arrow on Brisker's Week 1 status, it would be in the green, with the safety trending toward playing.
That the Bears open against the Packers only adds fuel to his desire to get back and start the season on the field and not the sidelines.
"It definitely does," Brisker said when asked if the Packers being the opener is an even greater incentive to get back. "I didn't even get to play last year, the second game here in Chicago, so I didn't really get the vibes. I wasn't even at the stadium.
"But now, I'm itching. I'm waiting. It's Packers week, so I know it's going to be live in the stadium. Fans everywhere. It's going to be loud. People hate Green Bay. I hate Green Bay. I can't wait. They didn't get to see me last year. They are going to get to see me this year."
That's the hope. Wednesday will tell us if that hope can become a reality.