The Chicago Bears have one of those good problems heading into Week 4, as head coach Ben Johnson must decide whether to start Case Keenum or Tyson Bagent against the New York Jets with Caleb Williams likely to miss more time due to his hamstring injury.
Johnson answered a direct question with a somewhat non-committal, though also telling, answer following Keenum’s stellar performance in a sound victory over the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
“We’ll have a discussion as a coaching staff and we’ll see where we need to go from here, but I said it last week and I’ll say it again: There was a reason why Tyson ended training camp as our No. 2 quarterback,” Johnson said.
Bears QB Tyson Bagent Appears to Have Edge for Starting Role Against Jets in Week 4
Bagent would have started against the Eagles except for the fact that he entered the NFL’s mandatory concussion protocol on Tuesday of last week after self-reporting symptoms to the team.
His injury kept him out of practice until the weekend, but Bagent ultimately cleared the protocol by Sunday. However, the Bears had developed a game plan for Keenum throughout the week in case Bagent was unable to play.
Chicago stuck with that plan on Monday night to resounding success, as the Bears bested the Eagles at Soldier Field by a score of 27-7. Keenum was excellent in the contest, putting up a line of 24-of-34 passing for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a score in the contest.
Case Keenum Lived Out Dream Scenario in Bears’ Win Over Eagles on Monday Night Football
The Bears host the Jets on a short week and know now that they have a capable spot starter in Keenum. That said, Bagent recently inked a two-year extension worth $10 million that runs through 2027.
With Bagent healthy, it would not be a surprise if the Bears transitioned back to the 26-year-old quarterback, assuming that Williams is unable to play.
Chicago did not put Williams on the injured reserve list (IR) ahead of their MNF contest against Philadelphia, even despite a Grade 2 hamstring strain that he suffered in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings. That indicates that the team believes Williams will be able to start again by Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons — if not before.
If Keenum, who had not taken a regular-season snap since 2023, played his only start on Monday night, he did so with excellent results. The veteran QB spoke candidly about the opportunity he received following the Bears’ victory.
“Yeah, you dream of it. That’s why I’m still here, still doing this, why I’m still getting up when I get knocked down,” he said. “I’ve been getting knocked down my whole career. I just keep getting up, keep coming to work, keep bouncing back.”
Bears Send Message on QB1 After Case Keenum Win Over Eagles