The Chicago Bears will not have quarterback Caleb Williams against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, but the team made a significant decision earlier in the day that indicates optimism for his expeditious return.
Courtney Cronin of ESPN reported on Monday, September 28 that Chicago did not send Williams to the injured reserve list (IR), which shrinks his timeline back to full health to less than a month of regular-season games.
“The Bears did not make any roster moves,” Cronin posted to X. “With QB Caleb Williams not going on IR ahead of MNF, it’s a sign that the team believes he can return from a hamstring injury within 4 games.”
Case Keenum Will Start for Bears on Monday Night Football, Tyson Bagent to Serve as Backup QB
Chicago is running out Case Keenum as its starter against the visiting Eagles on MNF, handing the 38-year-old QB the football for what will be his first regular-season action since a couple of starts for the Houston Texans back in 2023.
Backup Tyson Bagent cleared concussion protocol officially over the weekend, but he will begin the night as the QB2 behind Keenum because most of the Bears’ game-planning over the past week has focused on Keenum as the starter. He has also taken most of the first-team practice reps.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN noted on September 23 that Chicago could be in a rare position where it will actually start three different quarterbacks in three consecutive weeks.
It’s possible that the Bears have a different starting quarterback in each of the next three weeks, starting with Case Keenum on Monday night vs. Philadelphia. The Bears follow that up with a home game vs. the New York Jets and a trip to Lambeau Field for a divisional clash with the Green Bay Packers.
Johnson has coached durable starting quarterbacks while a play-caller since 2022. Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff never missed a game during Johnson’s three-year tenure there, and this would be Williams’ first missed game. What he cooks up with a backup will only deepen the intrigue.
Eagles Likely to Force Bears’ Offense to Pass With Case Keenum Under Center
How long Keenum lasts against the Eagles’ defense will likely be tied to how effectively the Bears can run the football.
Philadelphia is not liable to respect the pass game until Keenum forces it to do so, which will mean crowded boxes and safeties creeping up toward the line of scrimmage pre-snap in preparation for a heavy run focus from head coach Ben Johnson’s offense — which is run-centric already, even with Williams under center.
A lack of success passing early in the game could lead quickly to a change to Bagent under center, which would also represent Chicago abandoning its established game plan — at least to some degree.
Neither outcome would bode well for the Bears’ chances of best the Eagles on Monday night. DraftKings Sportsbook listed Philadelphia as 3.5-point road favorites in Chicago as of Monday afternoon.
Bears Make Major Roster Call in Good Sign for QB Caleb Williams