Staley Da Bear
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- Mar 16, 2019
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The Bears could be shorthanded on defense minus Hicks. The 6-4, 347-pounder exited the team's most recent game, a Nov. 16 Monday night loss to the Vikings, after injuring his hamstring late in the third quarter. Hicks has started all 10 games this season, registering 39 tackles, 3.5 sacks and seven tackles-for-loss.
"Akiem's an amazing player," said reserve defensive lineman Brent Urban. "He always makes a huge impact every time he's in there. But like a lot of teams have been doing this year, it's next man up with COVID and everything. Good teams have to win without their big players in at times. Obviously [it would be] a huge challenge. [Packers quarterback] Aaron Rodgers extends plays very well. You need to get pressure, you need to get interior push against them. Without Akiem it would be tough, but I think we're a deep group and we pride ourselves in playing good next-man-up football."
Leno, meanwhile, hurt his toe in Wednesday's practice. If he's unable to play, veteran Jason Spriggs likely would start against his former team at left tackle. Spriggs, who signed with the Bears this year, appeared in 36 games with nine starts over three seasons with Green Bay from 2016-18.
Selected by Green Bay in the second round of the 2016 draft from Indiana, Spriggs played in all 16 games as a rookie with two starts, both at right guard. He also saw time at both tackle positions.
After spending the first half of the 2017 season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, Spriggs was activated and appeared in seven games. The 6-6, 301-pounder started five straight contests at right tackle before injuring his knee in a Week 16 loss to the Vikings.
In 2018, Spriggs played in 13 games with two starts at right tackle. Last year he was waived/injured in August and then placed on injured reserve.
Spriggs has appeared in two games with the Bears this season, including one on offense when he played 65 snaps at right tackle in a Week 8 loss to the Saints after Bobby Massie exited with a knee injury.
In other injury news, nickel back Buster Skrine (ankle) is questionable after being limited in Friday's practice, while offensive lineman Rashaad Coward (ankle/knee) and special-teams standout Sherrick McManis (hand) are also questionable after being full participants in practice.
Six Packers are questionable for Sunday night's game: Receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Achilles) and Equanimeous St. Brown (knee); center Corey Linsley (back); running back Tyler Ervin (wrist/ribs); and cornerbacks Kenny King (Achilles) and Josh Jackson (concussion).