Sidney Rice close to a return with Vikings

Sidney Rice continues to make progress for a return to action but Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress isn’t ready to commit to when the wide receiver will be available.

Rice, who had hip surgery this summer, is on the physically unable to perform list. He’s been practicing but has yet to be promoted to the 53-man roster, a move the Vikings could wait until Saturday to make in order for him to be eligible for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.

Rice practiced last week and did extensive work on the field before Sunday’s game, according to Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

“He's had some good practices out here. It's just a matter of, can you play wide open and play in an NFL football game?" Childress said. "It's one thing to practice. It's another thing when you're going to get tackled to the ground, and what you've got to rely on is he's on that PUP list for a reason.

“He's the guy that's got to sift it out and know if he can get in and go, because we're not going to tackle him to the ground here. We just don't do that in-season."

Childress went on to add that Rice is “very close,” so it would not be a surprise if in a critical game against a division foe the Vikings take a chance with him. Stay tuned.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

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