LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- All signs point to the Chicago Bears activating second-year wide receiver Marquess Wilson from short-term injured reserve prior to Sunday’s home game versus the Minnesota Vikings.

Bears head coach Marc Trestman continues to classify Wilson’s status for Week 11 as “day-to-day,” but offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer confirmed Thursday that the organization opened up a roster spot specifically for Wilson with the release of veteran wideout Santonio Holmes on Tuesday.

“We got out of Santonio Holmes what he wanted to get out of Santonio Homes,” Kromer said. “Marquess Wilson is back, and so we needed a roster spot.

Santonio Holmes was an upstanding citizen here. He was a joy to be around. He was a model teammate. It’s just that we needed a roster spot for Marquess Wilson and that was the best person to do it with.”

Wilson officially returned to practice last Wednesday for the first time since fracturing his collarbone in training camp. The Bears technically have until Nov. 26 to activate Wilson or shut him down for the season.

“I feel pretty good,” Wilson said Thursday. “I feel like I’m getting [my wind] back to where it once was.”

Drafted in the seventh round by the Bears in 2013, the 6-foot-4 Wilson caught only two passes for 13 yards as a rookie, but he obviously developed some form of chemistry in the offseason with quarterback Jay Cutler.

Cutler sounded enthused about Wilson’s return, despite the fact that two proven, Pro Bowl wide receivers (Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery) have been at the quarterback's disposal the entire season.

“Practiced with him the last couple of days and I think he looks great,” Cutler said. “He’s still a little bit shaky just getting back into it, but I thought he had a better day today than he had yesterday. I was talking to [quarterbacks coach] Matt Cavanaugh about it; you forget how good he is at such a young player. We had him really going at training camp before he got hurt, so we were really excited about him. The guy gets hurt, goes on IR and you kind of forget about him a little bit because you have to move on. So getting him back is a little bit of a boost for us. Morale-wise and in the huddle he has fun, so it's fun to have him back.”