4 things we learned from the Chicago Bears, including Jaquan Brisker’s return to practice and Roquan Smith’s mindset

Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus and a few players spoke with reporters after practice Wednesday at Halas Hall.

Along with information on the day’s roster moves, here are four things we learned from Eberflus and players in the locker room.

Wearing a brace on his right thumb and a shirt that read “Takeaway King,” Brisker said he was ahead of schedule in his return from the injury he suffered during the preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Eberflus said Brisker took individual reps at practice, and both think he is on track to play in the Sept. 11 opener against the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field.

“(The brace) is not going to stop me from doing what I do,” Brisker said. “I’m going to be physical regardless, make plays on the ball. The thumb is not going to do anything.”

Brisker said he wasn’t sure when he suffered the injury. He was expecting to practice the next day before a doctor diagnosed the injury that caused him to miss the next two-plus weeks of practice, including the final two preseason games.

“I just was like, ‘Good thing it’s just a thumb,’ ” Brisker said. “I’m thankful it’s nothing else.”

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The second-round pick made an impression during a strong start to training camp, and that continued into the preseason game, when he had four tackles, including a tackle for a loss, and a pass defended.

Eberflus said Brisker will have a lot on his plate over the next 10 days in order to be ready for the opener, but he thinks Brisker is focusing well. Brisker is eager to prove himself.

“I want to show that what you’ve seen and heard in practice and the (preseason) game, that it’s consistent, that it’s not just once in a blue moon,” Brisker said. “That it’s very consistent week in and week out. Just come in, just show people who Jaquan Brisker really is.”

It has been 12 days since Smith returned to practice after his “hold-in” amid stalled contract negotiations, and the Bears linebacker reiterated his focus is on football and not resuming talks with general manager Ryan Poles.

When asked if there’s a possibility he discusses an extension with the Bears before the opener, Smith said, “No, I’m not focused on that right now. It’s already in the back of my mind. It just came to the front when you just mentioned it.”

Poles will speak with reporters Thursday for the first time since he was compelled to address Smith’s public statement asking for a trade because the Bears “refused to negotiate in good faith.” So Poles can address whether he sees any hope for resuming talks.

But Smith said he has put the drama aside as he returned to practice this week after sitting out the preseason finale because of what Eberflus described as general tightness.

“I never let anything get in the way of the bigger picture,” Smith said. “I understand I’ll never let anyone or anything take the fun away from me. Been doing it since I was a kid, having fun since a kid, so nothing is going to stop that.”

Patrick has been out since suffering a right hand injury the first week of training camp. He hasn’t practiced since then but has been spotted at practices working out or observing his teammates.

Eberflus said there’s hope he could return in Week 1.

“That’s our anticipation, that he is potentially able to do that,” Eberflus said. “But we don’t have the answer yet. We’re pushing for that. We’re hoping for that. We’ll see how it goes.”

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Eberflus on Tuesday mentioned the Bears will stay open-minded about where Patrick might play upon his return. The Bears said from the spring he would play center, but Sam Mustipher has spent the preseason there, while Teven Jenkins still is learning right guard after moving from tackle a couple of weeks ago.

Teams often don’t hold individual meetings to let people know they’ve made the team, so Sanborn, the undrafted rookie out of Lake Zurich High and Wisconsin, knew for sure he had made the Bears’ 53-man roster when he was heading into Tuesday’s team meetings.

“It was like that moment where it was like, ‘OK …’ ” Sanborn said.

The march straight to meetings and practice didn’t allow him time to inform anyone he had made it, and he said he still hadn’t called his mom, Malinda, as of 6 p.m. Tuesday. She already knew via social media, but he finally delivered word Tuesday evening that he was officially part of a team he cheered for during the Devin Hester and Brian Urlacher era.

“I don’t want to say (she was) surprised, but just a ‘wow’ moment,” Sanborn said Wednesday. “When you actually take a second to look at it … she was definitely very excited. They’re definitely very happy for me.”

Sanborn turned heads in the first preseason game against the Chiefs when he had an interception and fumble recovery. But he said he gained confidence he could make the team through practice.

“Getting more reps, getting experience in the defense and everything like that,” Sanborn said. “Through practice, that’s where that confidence has grown and developed, and I just took that into each day.”