LAKE FOREST – Bears running back Matt Forte’s toughest test of practice might have come when reporters were allowed on to the field after the final horn Monday.

Perhaps not wanting to answer questions about his injured right ankle, Forte jogged diagonally across the field before anyone with a notebook or a microphone could reach him. He wore no visible brace or boot on his ankle, which he sprained Thursday when Green Bay Packers safety Charles Woodson tackled him from behind.

Bears coach Lovie Smith said he was encouraged by Forte’s progress, although the running back sat out Monday’s practice and is uncertain to play Sunday against St. Louis. Smith said Forte had an ankle sprain but emphasized that it was not a high-ankle sprain, which typically requires a month or more to make a full recovery.