As the Chicago Bears await more information on injured quarterback Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent is exuding nothing but confidence as he prepares for his likely start against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football in Week 3.
Bagent entered Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter after Williams suffered a non-contact injury to his hamstring and had to be helped off the field in a grim scene that hushed the home-opening crowd at Soldier Field.
While Bagent nearly led the Bears to a comeback in the final seconds, he came up short after taking a sack on the last play, sealing their 9-3 loss in the divisional matchup.
Bagent will get another crack at playing for the Bears in short order, though, with Williams — who is still undergoing testing — unlikely to play against the Eagles.
And for Bagent, that means business as usual as far as his weekly preparation.
“I don’t think anything will change as far as my week goes, other than practice reps going up,” Bagent said in Sunday’s postgame, via The Chicago Tribune’s Sean Hammond. “Just got to continue to stay focused, continue to stay sharp and prepare the best that we can going into each week.”
Tyson Bagent ‘Ready to Roll’ Against Eagles in Week 3
Barring unforeseen luck with Williams’ hamstring, Bagent will make his first start since 2023 for the Bears when they take on the Eagles on Monday Night Football next week.
The former UDFA quarterback started four games in relief of Justin Fields as a rookie in 2023, completing 65.1% of his passes for 776 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions as the Bears posted a 2-2 record. He also added a touchdown with his legs.
On Sunday, Bagent performed a little better against the Vikings. He threw four straight completions after the Bears got the ball back with exactly one minute left in regulation, including an 18-yard gain to Luther Burden III and a 21-yard dart to Rome Odunze. Despite the end result, the sequence put them in a position to win.
“Last play, it got kind of hairy for me, but unacceptable on my end,” Bagent said. “Can’t take a sack on the last play. Gotta at least give somebody a chance.”
How does Bagent feel about a likely starting opportunity in Week 3, though?
“I feel great,” Bagent said after expressing frustration and sadness for Williams. “I have a good team around me, good coaching staff, so I’m ready to roll.
How Soon Could Caleb Williams Return for Bears?
The fans at Soldier Field likely feared the worst when Williams slid to the grass without contact and grabbed at his leg in obvious pain during Sunday’s fourth quarter.
That was followed by a collective sigh of relief from the fan base when the team announced that Williams would not return to the game due to a hamstring injury rather than a knee or Achilles issue.
“I’m actually happy that it’s nothing with the knee,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said in Sunday’s postgame. “That was my first inclination, but the hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”
The question now becomes: How quickly can Williams return to the field?
According to PFT’s Mike Florio, there is “optimism” that Williams may have escaped with only a Grade 1 hamstring strain, the lowest grade for injuries of that nature. The return timeline for the lowest-level hamstring strain is typically one to three weeks.
Williams appears unlikely to return against the Eagles even in the best-case scenario, but a minor hamstring strain — if confirmed — could mean he would be ready to return in time for Week 4’s matchup with the New York Jets on October 4.
The chances of a swift return for Williams will depend on how further testing goes, though.
Bears’ Tyson Bagent Sends Message After Caleb Williams Injury