Safety Eric Berry returned to practice on Monday after missing the past three weeks with a heel injury.

Berry, who has been absent from practice with the injury since Aug. 6, missed both of Kansas City's preseason games. Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid indicated on Sunday that Berry was close to returning the field, but wanted to make sure he didn't rush the five-time Pro Bowler back into action.

"(Berry) will probably get a little work in this week, at least in practice," Reid said. "We'll just have to see how he feels. We're being a little conservative with him in that area. I think we know what he can do, but at the same time, I want to make sure that he's comfortable going into our first game against New England. We'll see how he feels. He's a determined guy, so I might have to put the clamps on him a little bit because he's full throttle when he's out there."

Berry made the most of his time while he was injured, frequently signing autographs for fans at Chiefs training camp during and after practice.

Now back on the field, Berry hopes to be ready for the season opener on Sept. 7 at New England.