Rex Grossman expects to be in uniform for the first time this season when the Chicago Bears visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Outfitted with additional padding to protect his tender ribs, tailback Thomas Jones has returned to the practice field, and will be back in the Chicago Bears' starting lineup for Sunday's showdown against the Carolina Panthers at Soldier Field.

In a classic good-news/bad-news scenario, Chicago Bears rookie tailback Cedric Benson suffered no serious structural damage to his right knee Sunday, but the team's first-round draft choice is expected to miss 3-6 weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament.

With an MRI scheduled for Monday, Bears running back Cedric Benson was hoping for the best after exiting Sunday's 17-9 victory over the 49ers with a sprained right knee.

Chicago Bears tackle Fred Miller, who sat out the team's 17-9 victory over San Francisco with a broken jaw, reportedly was hurt by a punch from center Olin Kreutz.

Chicago Bears defensive back Nathan Vasher returned a missed field goal an NFL-record 108 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first half against the San Francisco 49ers.