The Chicago Bears lost quarterback Caleb Williams to what appeared to be a serious hamstring against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, but there is always a silver lining.
Williams went down with a non-contact injury in the fourth quarter as the Bears approached the goal line with a chance to take the lead. Chicago later confirmed that it was a hamstring injury that forced Williams from the game.
The scene was heartbreaking for Williams and Bears fans as he exited the field on a cart, tears in his eyes and a towel draped over his head. However, if the Bears get a little lucky, Williams can return at some point this season. And if he doesn’t come back, Chicago will get an opportunity to reset a problematic defense next offseason.
“Unless the #Bears get some Kurt Warner magic out of Tyson Bagent, they’ll pick in the top 10 of the 2027 NFL Draft,” Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron wrote on X. “There’s a lot of defensive talent. Dylan Stewart and Colin Simmons are two extremely gifted EDGEs. David Stone is a disruptive DT. Leonard Moore is a shutdown CB.”
Bears’ Tyson Bagent Among Top Backup QBs in NFL
Chicago’s season is far from over, to be clear, and Bagent is among the most valued backup quarterbacks in the league.
Bagent was the subject of several trade rumors at around the time of the NFL Combine in late February through the free agency period in mid-to-late March.
Chicago never bit on any trade opportunities, which now appears like a smart move given the uncertainty around Williams.
Bagent has appeared in 12 games, including four starts (2-2), for Chicago. He has completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 917 yards, three TDs and six INTs. Bagent has also rushed the football for 109 yards and two scores.
Bears Offense Can’t Carry as Much Weight Without Caleb Williams as Starting QB
With Williams under center, Chicago was always going to have to rely on its offense to carry a weak and porous defense. However, with Bagent starting, it is unclear how effective that strategy can be.
The Bears entered the season with strong playoff hopes, even despite their roster deficiencies, though Williams was a huge reason for that given the team’s profile for regression — Chicago led the league in turnovers and turnover margin last season, which are both hard stats to replicate, and also won several close games in comeback fashion.
If the Bears don’t get the same bounces they did in 2025, and if they can’t be as potent with Bagent as they are with Williams, then a high draft pick in a 2027 class loaded with talent is a likely silver lining for Chicago.
Beyond that, the Bears can move on from several underperforming defenders next offseason, clear a ton of cap space and reset the defense with younger, better players to complement an offense that should only get better with time and the eventual return of Williams to active status.
Bears Get Silver Lining After Caleb Williams’ Catastrophic Injury