When the Chicago Bears placed Jaylon Johnson on injured reserve, it seemed as if he would be lost for the season. But now, there's a chance he suits up in Week 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Johnson was a full participant in Thursday's practice, via the team's X, formerly Twitter account. While that doesn't guarantee he will suit up, it's at least a sign that Johnson will soon be ready to make his return.

The Bears have 21 days from the moment they activated him off of IR to add him back to the active roster. Chicago could play it slow and give Johnson more time to heal up. Whatever their Week 12 decision is though, the Bears have to be ecstatic to see their top cornerback make his full practice return.

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Johnson is coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. In 2025, he registered 53 tackles, eight passes defended and two interceptions. The cornerback has 216 tackles, 49 passes defended and seven interceptions over his entire six-year tenure with the Bears. Furthermore, his 76.2 Pro Football Focus grade from 2024 ranked 11/117 cornerbacks.

Adding Johnson back into the defense gives Chicago a massive boon, whether that comes in Week 12 or not. However, there are some concerns on the Bears' injury report. Both starting linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards didn't practice on Thursday. Neither did backup Noah Sewell, who has been filling in for Edwards as he nurses hand surgery/a hamstring injury.

How all three are listed following Friday's practice will be extremely telling. The same could be said for Johnson. If he gets in another full practice, it wouldn't be shocking to see him cleared for Week 12. That statement in itself is a shock after Johnson's initial injury fears in Week 2.