Bears QB Crisis Hits New Level After Ben Johnson’s Latest Admission

The Chicago Bears entered the week expecting Tyson Bagent to take over for Caleb Williams . By Wednesday, even that plan was no longer certain.

Williams is dealing with a right hamstring injury and has not practiced this week. Bagent, who replaced Williams late in Sunday's loss to Minnesota , is now in the NFL's concussion protocol . That leaves 38-year-old Case Keenum as the only active Bears quarterback practicing. Yet, coach Ben Johnson still refuses to name him the starter for Monday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles .

"We're at a point right now [where we're] not sure who the starter's going to be on Monday night," Johnson said Wednesday.

That is not the sentence Chicago wanted to hear four days before a prime-time game against one of the NFC's strongest teams.

The Bears' quarterback situation has changed almost by the hour. Williams suffered the hamstring injury during a non-contact scramble in the fourth quarter of the 9-3 loss to Minnesota. Johnson has described the injury as week-to-week, and Williams is not expected to practice before Monday.

Preseason star Bagent appeared to be the obvious replacement until he entered concussion protocol Tuesday. He completed five of nine passes for 54 yards after taking over against the Vikings, leading Chicago on a late drive that reached the Minnesota 12-yard line before the offense stalled. Now Bagent's availability depends on clearing the league's five-step return-to-play process. He was not at Halas Hall Wednesday, while Williams participated only in the team's walk-through.

That left Keenum taking the practice reps. "We know Case is the one that's practicing today," Johnson said. "So we'll figure it out as we go."

Keenum has 66 career starts and has played for nine NFL teams. Unfortunately, he has not thrown a regular-season pass since 2023. His role with Chicago has primarily been as a veteran mentor to Williams and Bagent. Johnson, however, insists Keenum is not some emergency option who has been sitting around collecting dust.

"He's at the point of his career where he's like another coach in a lot of ways," Johnson said. "He's seen a ton. He knows what good football looks like. He knows what a healthy locker room looks like, and he's a key part of what we do."

That experience is valuable, but it does not erase the reality of the matchup. The Eagles are coming to Soldier Field on Monday night, and Chicago's offense is already trying to recover from a three-point performance against Minnesota after scoring 59 in the opener.

The Bears also will not add another quarterback this week, according to Johnson. If Williams and Bagent remain unavailable, undrafted rookie Miller Moss would likely be elevated from the practice squad to serve as Keenum's backup.

Johnson praised general manager Ryan Poles for building a quarterback room with three players he believes can win games.

"We've got three guys that can play ball in this league, that have won games in this league," Johnson said.

That confidence is important, but the uncertainty is impossible to hide. Chicago is preparing for Philadelphia without knowing whether its starter will be an injured franchise quarterback, a backup trying to clear concussion protocol or a 38-year-old veteran making his first regular-season appearance in nearly three years.

The Bears can call it business as usual . It is anything but.