First Positive Outlook for Tarik Cohen

Bears coach Matt Nagy won't rule out getting running back Tarik Cohen on the field this season after he has missed the first 12 games while rehabbing from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Cohen has been out since late last September after suffering the injury to his right ACL when hit while making a fair catch on a punt against Atlanta in Week 3.

Nagy actually had the first encouraging words on the situation since before training camp when he was asked Friday if there's no chance Cohen will play.

"I know we're four or five weeks away to the end of the regular season, but he's been having some good days," Nagy said of Cohen. "I think he's definitely getting better and that's great for him to be able to have that. I just, again, I think he's in a really good place, and to put a timeline on it, or to rule him out and say no he won't一but I just appreciate who he is and how he goes about trying to rehab and get back.

"I know it's been a while, but he cares and he's trying to get back as soon as he can."

Nagy wasn't saying for certain Cohen could play. In fact, he downplayed it. But as they say, at least there's a chance when earlier nothing had been said.

"Yeah, I think it might be minimal," Nagy said. "It might be minimal, but at the same point in time I don't think it's fair to say it's not going to happen."

The fact there are only five weeks remaining and they would have at least a three-week window to monitor Cohen's return at practice makes a return this season less likely, but doesn't rule it out entirely.

There had been great speculation earlier in the year about Cohen's knee undergoing a second procedure but Nagy would not confirm this at the time, and skipped over it again on Friday.

"I don't think it’s fair for me, No. 1, to get involved in that too heavily, No. 2, publicly either," Nagy said.

It's been 14 1/2 months. Often players come back from this in 10 months or less. Considering Cohen's game is speed and his ability to cut, stop and start, perhaps more itme was necessary.

"Everyone's a little bit different," Nagy said.

Cohen led the 2018 division champion team in receptions with 71 and had a career-best 10.2 yards per catch.

"When I'm there every day and I see Tarik grinding the way he grinds, all the work he's putting in that training room and doing everything he possibly can to get back, for me, I have not," Nagy said when asked if he's surprised it has taken so long. "Every situation is different, but for me, I don’t even go there.

"I know what I see. He's trying to get back as soon as he can. That's all he can do. We love Tarik to death. He's awesome. And he’s great in our (running backs) room. He's been a helluva player. When they tell us that he's ready to go, we'll be ready to go with him."

Finding a place for Cohen on the current active roster might be difficult. 

They've had Jakeem Grant as kick and punt returner, and he has assumed some receiving chores as well. Behind running backs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert is Damien Williams, who has been inactive the last four games as he has fought through a series of injuries. He has appeared in just seven of the 12 games.