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The Bears are working quarterback Jay Cutler back into the lineup after he was cleared to return from his right thumb injury and he has some company on the back to practice list.

Runinng back Jeremy Langford practiced Tuesday for the first time since he suffered a high ankle sprain in Week Three with designs of getting in the lineup for Monday night’s game against the Vikings. Langford was the starter when he got hurt, but coach John Fox wouldn’t say if he’ll be returning to that role.

“Earlier in the season I mentioned that, way back in the day, there used to be a rule that if you were the starter, when you were hurt, it was yours when you came back,” Fox said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “Well, that’s not really necessarily the case as much anymore. It can be. You’re going to play the best guy, and there’s competition to be involved in that.”

As Cutler acknowledged, the Bears don’t have much choice other than putting him back into his old job. The Bears have Jordan Howard and Ka’Deem Carey on hand and both have gotten looks as the lead back with Langford out of the picture, which should make for a competitive backfield situation in Chicago over the coming weeks.