LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has been cleared to play and is expected to start Sunday against the Detroit Lions, coach Marc Trestman said Thursday.

Cutler returned to the practice field Thursday, about two and a half weeks after tearing a groin muscle during an Oct. 20 game against the Washington Redskins. The original diagnosis was for him to miss a minimum of four weeks.

"As soon as I got hurt I felt like I would be back quicker than they thought," Cutler said. "I kind of had that mindset throughout the [rehabilitation process].

"At the bye week, I thought that would give me enough time to make a push for this game. Last week I felt like if things kept progressing that I'd definitely have a chance for this game. Early last week I had a sense that this could be a real [possibility]."

Cutler does not expect to be limited when he takes the field Sunday. The veteran quarterback took every snap at the Bears' abbreviated practice Thursday and reported that he felt 100 percent during the workout.

"We just went out there and did some drills, threw the ball and stepped up into the pocket," Cutler said. "Made sure I was comfortable moving around. If I wasn't back to 100 percent or if they had any doubts, I wouldn't have been practicing today. That was the stipulation. They were going to let Josh [McCown] have another crack at it, and I was going to sit this out [if I didn't show them I was ready]."

"As soon as I got hurt I felt like I would be back quicker than they thought," Jay Cutler said Thursday. AP Photo/Mike Roemer

With the aid of the Bears' medical staff, including director of rehabilitation Bobby Slater, Cutler aggressively attacked his rehabilitation the past two weeks, spending the club's entire bye week at the facility instead of taking a previously planned family trip to Nashville. Cutler said he underwent platelet-rich plasma injections and used an accelerated recovery performance (ARP) machine to help speed his recovery.

"Jay has spent, since the day he got hurt, really 24/7 doing everything he can on and off the field to get ready," Trestman said.

"Jay is unique regarding he really understands his body. He understands how to take care of himself, and he's a unique athlete. There was an incredible amount of hard work and effort that he had put in to even have a chance. We're excited about it. It says a lot about his commitment to the team. He came in this morning, did a few of the things. The doctors said, 'You're good to go.'"

Cutler's teammates are publicly endorsing the move, even though Cutler is just three weeks removed from his groin tear. Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte said that Cutler practiced without restrictions when he directed the offense during Thursday's 70-minute session inside the Walter Payton Center.