Bears G Kyle Long returns to practice

Bears guard Kyle Long took another step toward playing in a game this season. On Friday, Long practiced for the first time since going on injured reserve with a right foot injury.

“It felt good to be in a helmet and running around,” Long said. “I don’t feel like a ghost in the building, which is nice.”

Long hurt his foot — but didn’t suffer ligament damage — Oct. 28 against the Jets. According to league rules, he was eligible to return to practice this week.

“[Friday] was a great first step,” coach Matt Nagy said.

By rule, Long can’t play in a game until Week 17 at the earliest. The Bears also could wait until the playoffs.

The three-time Pro Bowl player sounded open to the possibility of playing against the Vikings.

“In a perfect world, you’d want to have as much experience as you can getting back after injury,” Long said. “But, as I said a few times, there really is no timetable.”

Nagy seems fine with either date.

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“If we get to a point to where we feel like we can have him ready or play in the last regular-season game — if that would make sense, great,” he said. “If we feel like just talking through with him we get into the playoffs and that’s something he can do, we can test that out, too. We just have to see.”

Nagy said the issue is simple football conditioning. Long has to catch up quickly to make up for a two-month absence.

“I’ve got to make it so I’m less out of breath the next day than I was before,” Long said. “The training staff has done a great job here keeping me as prepared as possible.”

Long would love to return for his first playoff game. His teammates want to see it, too.

“I think that it will be a morale boost to see him overcome his obstacles and be able to rejoin the team in that way,” defensive end Akiem Hicks said.

That’s why Hicks was thrilled to see Long in a helmet.

“I love that guy,” he said. “That guy makes me excited because you can tell that he has given everything to this game, mentally and physically. So I’m always happy when a guy like that gets to come back to the game that he loves.”