The Chicago Bears know who is going to start at quarterback against the New York Jets on Sunday, though they’re not revealing whether it will be Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum just yet. However, some of the talk this week points toward Bagent getting his first start since 2023 after Keenum received the same opportunity last week.
During a press conference on Thursday, October 1, Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor sent a telling message on Bagent, which included insight into his toughness and attitude.
“Press Taylor on Tyson Bagent being ready after dealing with multiple injuries the last month: ‘He’s a guy where you never have to worry about his mindset. He’s a locked in guy. He is a lot like Ben [Johnson]. He is very competitive,'” CHGO Bears reported on X.
Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson Has Dropped Some Hints That Tyson Bagent Might Start Against Jets
That is not a confirmation that Bagent will start against New York, though it is one that Bagent is ready and probably desperately desires the opportunity to run out as QB1 in Caleb Williams‘ absence (see: Bagent’s competitiveness) after a concussion removed his chance to do so against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.
Bagent was eligible to play the day before Chicago’s Monday Night Football showcase, but head coach Ben Johnson went with Keenum because he had taken all the first-team practice reps and the offense constructed its game plan around his skill set.
Johnson noted following the 20-point victory against Philly, in which Keenum threw for nearly 250 yards and 2 TDs while also punching in another score on the ground, that he had not made a decision yet. However, Johnson added that “there was a reason” the team named Bagent QB2 behind Williams heading into the campaign.
Bears Pay Tyson Bagent Like Their No. 2 QB, Listed Him on Depth Chart as Such to Begin Season
It was Bagent to whom Johnson turned late in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings after Williams went down with a hamstring injury. Bagent is also a dozen years Keenum’s junior and has an ability to make/extend plays with his legs that eludes his elder counterpart.
There is also the element of surprise to consider. Johnson seized on that to make what was a top 10 Eagles defense entering Week 3 look foolish against a third-string quarterback. He could theoretically do the same thing to the Jets with Keenum under center, though it might be easier with Bagent.
At this point, based on depth chart ranking and contract compensation, the Bears view Bagent as the superior player to Keenum — at least physically. Of course, Bagent doesn’t have the same track record of extensive experience.
That said, he has played in 13 games across his four-year NFL career and earned four starts (2-2). So starting, and winning, a contest for the Bears won’t be a foreign concept to the 26-year-old QB if that’s how it all goes down.
And while there was no tape on Keenum at all since 2023 for Philadelphia to study, there is a full game for the Jets to look at, which just played out a few days ago. There is some tape on Bagent from the past three years, but not a full game and nothing from the perspective of him as a starting QB since 2023.
Johnson can do the same thing to the Jets in Week 4 that he did to the Eagles in Week 3, only with a different backup QB, which just sounds cool and like something the Bears’ competitive coach might take as a personal challenge.
Bears Issue Telling Message on Tyson Bagent Ahead of Jets Contest