Young Essendon key defender Tayte Pears could be on the verge of a long-overdue return to football as his AFL comeback continues.

The Bombers said on Monday that the 21-year-old might resume this weekend in the VFL.

Pears, a 2009 Rising Star nominee, has endured a shocking run of injuries since last year.

He suffered a broken arm last season and managed to return to the senior side, only to rupture his pancreas mid-season.

Pears needed season-ending surgery to repair his pancreas and then needed another operation in the off-season to fix a foot injury.

"From a medical side of things, the doctors and the surgeons are telling us that his foot is really stable and everything is quite positive at the moment," Bombers football manager Paul Hamilton told the club website.

"Now it's about trying to get him up to a fitness level where he can perform.

"While he has to get through the rest of training this week, there is a chance he could return for the VFL on Sunday."

The Bombers have the bye this week, with captain Jobe Watson (hamstring) and tall utility Michael Hurley (calf) continuing to recover from the injuries that forced them out of Saturday night's loss to Richmond.

Leroy Jetta needed plastic surgery inside his mouth after suffering a blow during the Tigers match, but the Bombers are hopeful he will not miss any games.

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