CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 13: Eric Berry #29 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a play against the Carolina Panthers in the 1st quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on November 13, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Ian Rapoport says the Kansas City Chiefs could get safety Eric Berry back in practice this week as he returns from a sore heel.

The Kansas City Chiefs have been without their best overall defensive player for the last two weeks as safety Eric Berry nurses his way back to health after dealing with a sore heel since early August. Fortunately the team has been victorious in his absence, but that won’t stop Chiefs players, coaches and fans from being ecstatic when the former All-Pro returns to practice.

Ian Rapoport says that that time is coming soon and that Berry could return to practice this week for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs have been coy about any sort of timeline with Berry before Sunday, but CBS sideline reporter Evan Washburn was able to get Andy Reid to tell him the team believes Berry could play in the next couple weeks. Now Rapoport’s report (say that three times fast) bolsters that timeline and makes it clear that everyone involved sees real potential in Berry being able to play again soon.

Given the fact that the Chiefs have never even flirted publicly with placing Berry on any injured list, even to return, shows that they always believed he could possibly play within the first half of the season, at least. Keeping him inactive on the roster week to week allows them to truly take it one opponent at a time, so this sort of timeline all comes together and makes sense when placed in order.

Berry hasn’t played in a real NFL game since over a year ago when he was shutting down Rob Gronkowski in a season opening win over the New England Patriots to open the 2017 season. Berry went down late in that game with an Achilles injury that ruined his season and kept him out for much of the offseason as well. Berry dealt with a sore heel in the same foot last year in the preseason.

Despite the team’s 2-0 start, the Chiefs defense has struggled early and Berry’s presence would go a long way toward shoring up a disappointing secondary.