Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent has taken the first-team practice reps this week and is expected to start Sunday against the New York Jets, according to a top NFL insider.
Case Keenum led a rout of the unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles four days ago, yet Coach Ben Johnson has not named a starter, leaving Chicago’s quarterback question open, possibly until kickoff.
Then NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport broke the news Friday. Bagent “is expected to start after getting first-team reps,” Rapoport wrote in a Friday social media post.
Bagent, not Keenum, has run the first-team offense through two full practice days, Pro Football Talk‘s Mike Florio confirmed. Johnson has been meticulous about hiding his plan from the Jets.
“We’ll find out on Sunday,” Johnson said, as quoted by Bears.com.
Johnson locked in his decision by Wednesday.
“The direction’s already been made, so we’ll be in good shape for Sunday,” he said, as quoted by ESPN.
Bagent holds the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, with Keenum No. 3.
“There was a reason why Tyson ended training camp as our No. 2 quarterback,” Johnson said after Monday’s win, as quoted by CBS Sports.
Chicago Bears Caleb Williams Injury and Tyson Bagent Status
Caleb Williams will miss a second straight game with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, the Bears ruled Friday. Doctors view the injury as a three- to four-week problem, according to league sources cited by ESPN‘s Adam Schefter and NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport.
RotoWire‘s estimated Oct. 11 return date matches the Week 5 game at Green Bay, though the Bears have announced no timeline.
Bagent replaced Williams in the Sept. 20 loss to the Vikings and finished 5-of-9 for 54 yards before taking a sack on the final play.
A concussion diagnosis put him in the five-step protocol, Rapoport reported. He sat out Wednesday and Friday practices, returned Saturday as a full participant and cleared the protocol the day before Monday Night Football.
Keenum started because he had handled the first-team install while Bagent was sidelined. The 38-year-old made his first regular-season start since 2023 and completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, plus a 1-yard sneak for another score in the 27-7 win.
Bagent now has no injury designation and has been available for a full week of practice, according to Bears Wire.
Bagent’s Career and Background
Born June 8, 2000, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, Bagent stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 212 pounds.
He started five seasons at Division II Shepherd, broke the NCAA touchdown pass record with 159 and set Division II career marks of 1,400 completions and 17,034 yards, according to NCAA.com. In 2021, he threw for 5,000 yards and 53 touchdowns and won the Harlon Hill Trophy.
No team drafted him in 2023, and the Bears signed him as an undrafted free agent. He went 2-2 in four starts that season and has backed up Justin Fields and then Williams since.
Entering this week, Bagent owns 104 completions in 158 attempts for 971 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions across 13 games, according to NFL.com stats.
Johnson says the answer to the quarterback question arrives Sunday, when the Bears host the Jets at Soldier Field.
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