LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- With the regular-season opener looming in just more than two weeks, the Bears are still easing receiver Anthony Miller and tight end Trey Burton back from their respective injuries.
Miller suffered a right ankle sprain during a practice at Olivet Nazarene on Aug. 11 as he went up to catch a pass in a one-on-one drill. The Bears believe Miller will be ready for the regular-season opener against the Packers on Sept. 5, coach Matt Nagy has said, but getting him back to full speed goes beyond just health.
"The biggest challenge is timing with the quarterback," Nagy said of Miller. "That's the number one challenge. So, when you're not out there, for him, for a younger guy, is just learning the offense. But, then also, getting the offense down and running it versus a defense and getting that play timed up, that route timed up with the quarterback.
"He's been focused. He's been asking questions, all that. He had that banged up shoulder last year. Now, he had a freak incident with a twisted ankle, but he's in a good position health-wise. I feel good about that."
The Bears are also still easing Burton back after his surgery to repair a sports hernia in the spring. While Burton has said he won't play in any preseason games -- along with the rest of the starters -- he worked at full speed during a game-simulating scrimmage at Halas Hall last Wednesday.
"He's still going through the maintenance thing, but we knew that," Nagy said of Burton. "He's right on schedule, if not probably a little further along than what we thought when we were doing this.
"When you're out that long like he was, I think the more game time he gets condition-wise, physically, mentally, I think each game he'll slowly get stronger and stronger. We just got to make sure that we watch him and stay on top of it."
The Bears held out defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard from practice Tuesday due to an illness. Backup offensive tackle Rashaad Coward isn't expected to practice this week after suffering an elbow injury last week, Nagy said.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
