Bears activate LB Danny Trevathan, who is likely to make season debut vs. RaidersJason Lieseron October 9, 2021 at 6:31 pm

Chicago Bears inside linebacker Danny Trevathan reacts as he is introduced before an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in Chicago, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) ORG XMIT: ILMC10 | Charles Rex Arbogast, AP Photos

Trevathan began the season on injured reserve because of a knee injury and has been practicing for two weeks.

Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan is set to make his season debut after being activated from injured reserve Saturday.

That moved him to the active roster in time to play Sunday at the Raiders.

Whether he’ll start or how much he’ll play is unclear. Veteran linebacker Alec Ogletree has been starting in his place and playing well, and defensive coordinator Sean Desai avoided questions about how he’d handle Trevathan’s potential return.

“Those decisions are made on a game-to-game basis on performance and where we think our defense best fits,” Desai said. “You guys see we’ve got a lot of players playing on defense, so what does starting mean? You play the first snap and you’re out the second? Those kind of things will be decided on a game-to-game basis.”

As for Ogletree, Desai said, “He’s done outstanding. He shows why he’s been a successful player in this league. He’s a leader. He’s got a lot of veteran savvy-ness. He understands the defense. He’s a starting-caliber player.”

He went on IR before the season opener because of a knee issue, but started the preseason finale. General manager Ryan Pace said the Bears’ intention was to “let him kind of take his time [and] make sure he’s 100% before we put him out there… It’s what is best for him. It’s what is best for us.”

Trevathan, 31, has been vital to the Bears’ defense and one of the most prominent voices in the locker room since joining them in 2016. He played all 16 games for the Bears last season and finished with 113 tackles, five pass breakups and a forced fumble.

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