Tight end Cole Kmet, who had five receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown in the 40-20 victory over the Commanders last week, was a surprise addition to a busy Bears injury report Wednesday.
Kmet was limited in practice with a hamstring injury. Safety Eddie Jackson (foot) and cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson (hamstring), Kyler Gordon (hand) and Terell Smith (ankle) also were limited, but Jackson, Johnson and Gordon are returning from injuries and could play against the Vikings on Sunday at Soldier Field.
Running backs Khalil Herbert (ankle), Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Travis Homer (hamstring), center Lucas Patrick (concussion) and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown did not practice.
The Bears’ secondary could be whole for the first time since the opener against the Packers. Gordon has not played since breaking his hand in Week 1. Jackson injured his foot in Week 2 against the Buccaneers. And Johnson injured his hamstring in Week 3 against the Chiefs.
“We’re excited to get Gordon back and Jaylon, as well,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “It’s nice to have guys in there, and we’ll see where all those guys are this week, the guys who are coming back. But I’m excited to see those guys back.”
Jenkins ready to go
If Patrick can’t play against the Vikings, it’s likely that left guard Cody Whitehair would start at center, with Teven Jenkins starting at left guard.
Jenkins, the preseason starter at left guard who missed the first four games with a calf injury, played for the first time this season against the Commanders — 37 snaps in a rotation with Whitehair and Ja’Tyre Carter. He still could be in a rotation with Carter against the Vikings. But he’s ready to start.
“I feel really good right now; I think I’d be ready for a whole game,” Jenkins said. “We’re going to see where I am conditioning-wise and keep on going.”
“We liked where he was last week coming off that long stint he had [on IR],” Eberflus said. “He heals fast, and he healed well, which was really good for us. He did a nice job when he was in there.”
Smitty a contender
Eberflus said Smith, a rookie, could still get playing time — perhaps in place of rookie starter Tyrique Stevenson — even with all the starters returning.
“We love where he is right now,” Eberflus said. “He is growing, improving. We like where his tackling is, his coverage ability, his compete [level], his takeaways. He’s going to play for us. How much? We’ll work through the week on that. But we like where he is in terms of overall skill.”
‘Put your helmet back on’
Wide receiver DJ Moore was unbothered by the apparent special treatment Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed received when Sneed took his helmet off to argue a penalty late in the fourth quarter against the Vikings and was told, ‘‘Put your helmet back on,’’ by the side judge instead of being penalized.
Moore didn’t get that break with the Panthers last season when he took his helmet off after catching a 62-yard touchdown pass from P.J. Walker that should’ve been a game-winner with 12 seconds left in regulation against the Falcons. Moore was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, kicker Eddy Pineiro missed the 48-yard tie-breaking extra point and the Panthers lost 37-34 in overtime.
‘‘I was like, it’s whatever,” Moore said. “You’ve got some refs that follow the rules and some that just go above and beyond the rules.
‘‘I don’t know if that was the [same] crew. I don’t really care.”
