Bears Best Offseason Move Clearly Retaining Tyson Bagent in Wake of Caleb Williams' Injury

The sky is officially falling in Chicago (or it certainly feels that way, anyway). The Bears lost by a score of 9-3, but the bigger story is quarterback Caleb Williams' health.

A crisis occurred with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, when Williams went down as he was scrambling to the left. He immediately began clutching his leg and was writhing in pain. The fact that it was a non-contact injury (notorious for torn tendons and ligaments) means many are fearing the worst.

They have since confirmed that he is dealing with a hamstring injury, so they might've avoided an absolute worst-case scenario (which would've seen him tearing a major ligament). However, we don't yet know how severe that hamstring injury is. Ben Johnson confirmed that we should have more information in that regard tomorrow.

Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023, took over the starting job in Williams' place. He showed some promise in 2023, winning two games across four starts in relief of Justin Fields. Bagent has also flashed potential across various preseason performances throughout his career.

We still don't know how long Williams will be on the shelf, but it certainly didn't look good. Barring a trade (which would be a surprise with the options at their disposal), the starting job will belong to Bagent in the meantime.

Bagent might now hold the keys to the Ferrari

Tyson Bagent on the field — Aug 29, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent (17) throws a pass against the Tennessee Titans during pre-game warmups at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bears' offense was a well-oiled machine with Williams under center last season. They looked even better in last week's 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers.

There was a ton of trade speculation surrounding Bagent this offseason. Many thought the Bears could ship Williams' backup out of town if they landed a quality offer for him.

However, Bears head coach Ben Johnson pushed back on any conversations surrounding the signal-caller being moved at the NFL Scouting Combine. He also said he considers Bagent to be one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the NFL.

"I love Tyson and that's one that kind of pulls at your heartstrings a little bit because he's someone that you care about so deeply, and he's a hell of a football player that at some point you want to see him have a chance to do it himself," Johnson told reporters on February 24.

In the end, the Bears obviously held onto Bagent. If Williams misses any time whatsoever, that was a move that is bound to pay huge dividends for a team eager to cement their status as full-blown contenders. Fear of injury is the whole reason you don't move on from your backup QB, in the first place.

It might not feel like it, but the Bears' season is far from over. They still have 15 games left, and that's the mindset Johnson and Co. will be hammering home at Halas Hall this week. If Williams suffered the injury many fear, then the 26-year-old will decide the fate of their 2026 season.

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