ATHENS — There is a slight chance that Georgia will get star defensive lineman Trenton Thompson back this week.

Thompson suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee at Tennessee on Sept. 30 and was ruled out for the game Saturday at Vanderbilt. This week, coach Kirby Smart left the door open for the junior being able to play.

“Trent’s recovering,” Smart said at his Monday press conference. “He’ll be day to day, and week to week. We haven’t ruled him out for this game. We hope to have him back. He’s moving around.”

Meanwhile, right guard Solomon Kindley should be fine after leaving the game on Saturday. Smart said he expected Kindley back at practice.

Kindley has had recurring ankle problems dating back to late August but has been able to return each time. He has started three games at right guard.

Senior inside linebacker Reggie Carter also could return this week. Smart said Carter could be back Monday or Tuesday, which could impact the starting lineup at inside linebacker.

Carter sustained an undisclosed injury in the Tennessee game and while he was not ruled out for the Vanderbilt game, he didn’t end up making the trip.

Georgia definitely will be without one starter as inside linebacker Natrez Patrick began serving a four-game suspension Saturday after his second marijuana-related arrest last Thursday. Smart said after the game Saturday that issues surrounding Patrick would be “handled internally,” but the UGA student-athlete handbook calls for a four-game suspension for a second marijuana-related arrest.