Caleb Williams injured his right hamstring during a fourth-quarter scramble in the Chicago Bears’ 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on September 20. He was hurt while scrambling on a first-and-goal play from the 6-yard line and did not return. Bears coach Ben Johnson initially called Williams’ injury “week-to-week.” The Bears have now ruled him out for a second straight game.
Williams did not practice during the week ahead of the Eagles matchup and missed that game. He again failed to practice this week and was officially ruled out Friday for Sunday’s home game against the New York Jets. This will be the second consecutive game Williams has missed because of the hamstring injury.
ESPN reported that Williams suffered a Grade 2 hamstring injury and is expected to miss roughly three to four weeks. That timeline makes Week 4 too soon, while Chicago’s schedule gives the quarterback additional time before its October 11 game at Green Bay. His return will ultimately depend on his recovery and ability to practice.
Offensive tackle Braxton Jones is out with a knee injury, while cornerback Kyler Gordon, Noah Sewell and Shemar Turner are also ruled out. Cam Lewis is doubtful with a hip injury. On the positive side, D’Andre Swift practiced fully Friday and is set to play, while guard Joe Thuney also returned to full participation.
Tyson Bagent Expected to Get the Start Against the Jets
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Tyson Bagent took the majority of Chicago’s first-team reps during the week and is expected to start against the Jets. Johnson has not officially announced the starter, saying, “We’ll find out on Sunday.” Still, the practice distribution points toward Bagent getting the call.
Bagent went 2-2 in four starts as an undrafted rookie in 2023. He has 13 career appearances and entered Week 4 with 971 passing yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions. He also recently cleared concussion protocol after suffering a concussion against Minnesota.
Case Keenum made the start against Philadelphia and delivered a strong performance in Chicago’s 27-7 victory. The veteran threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns while also scoring on a goal-line sneak. That performance keeps him firmly in the conversation even though Bagent appears to have moved ahead this week.
Chicago is 2-1 and just produced its most convincing win of the season, but the quarterback change adds another layer to Sunday’s matchup. Bagent and Keenum must keep the offense on schedule while the Bears deal with injuries elsewhere on the roster.
