The Green Bay Packers have plenty to worry about with their own stable of questionable players heading into in Week 5, but now the Chicago Bears have inserted extra chaos into the equation with an update on QB Caleb Williams two days before the NFC North Division rivals’ first meeting of the regular season.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson said earlier this week that Williams would not practice in an official capacity and that Tyson Bagent will start at Lambeau Field on Sunday. However, things changed in that regard when Williams showed up at practice on Friday, October 9 for the first time in almost three weeks.
Now Williams is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Week 5 against the Packers.
“Here’s video of Caleb Williams back at practice Friday,” Courtney Cronin of ESPN reported via X. “On Monday, Ben Johnson said that Williams ‘is not going to be there for us this week’ against Green Bay and said Tyson Bagent ‘will be the guy.’ Now Williams is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Week 5 against the Packers.”
Ben Johnson Has Played Games at QB Position Already This Season
This isn’t the first time this season that Johnson, a notorious villain in Green Bay after his post-playoff win antics in which he screamed ‘[Expletive] the Packers!’ multiple times, has played musical chairs at the quarterback position.
Williams suffered his Grade 2 hamstring strain during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. Johnson went with Case Keenum the following week, as Bagent spent most of the team’s prep time in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Then before taking on the New York Jets in Week 4, Johnson engaged in some subterfuge by refusing to publicly name a starter between Bagent and Keenum. The gamesmanship likely forced the Jets’ defense and coaching staff to prepare doubly for two different possibilities under center.
Green Bay may have to do so now as well, considering Williams was back on the practice field on Friday and is capable of stepping back into a starting role with limited time to ramp up given his grasp on Johnson’s complicated offense after nearly a year and a half in the system.
Bears RB Kyle Monangai ‘Out’ Against Packers
Green Bay can be certain, or at least close to it, that Bears running back Kyle Monangai will miss Sunday’s contest with a turf toe injury.
Chicago officially designated Monangai as “out” on Friday, along with linebacker Keyshaun Elliott.
RB1 D’Andre Swift should be able to go with hip and knee injuries after missing practice on Wednesday, participating in a limited fashion on Thursday and practicing in full on Friday.
The Bears did not give Swift a designation on Friday, which indicates he should play.
Chicago listed four players as “questionable” on Friday, including Williams, cornerback Kyler Gordon, linebacker Noah Sewell and defensive lineman Shemar Stewart.
Packers Get Curveball From Bears on Caleb Williams Ahead of Lambeau Showdown