Akiem Hicks Has a Setback

Apparently Akiem Hicks' desire to play and four weeks away from football weren't enough to ensure he could face the Green Bay Packers.

After the Bears had Hicks go through a full practice on Friday and listed him as questionable following a week when he was on the field every day for at least individual work, they downgraded him Saturday to out for Sunday night's game at Lambeau Field.

It means they'll be without their best run stuffer and inside pass rusher for the fourth straight game. They had a bye week during this stretch of games he has missed.

Hicks spoke on Friday with media members at Halas Hall about how he planned on playing and the ankle had finally responded to treatment, but apparently he had a setback.

"The plan is to get ready to play," Hicks said on Friday.

The Bears have also downgraded safety Teez Tabor to out for the game due to illness, while outside linebacker Charles Snowden will get the chance to play in his first NFL game as he has been flexed from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

Snowden is an undrafted rookie from Virginia who had been an excellent college pass rusher but suffered a broken ankle in late November last year and wasn't able to run in predraft work.

He has been able to practice all year.

The Bears need the extra help at outside linebacker because Cassius Marsh was placed on injured reserve on Thursday due to a knee injury.