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Ben Johnson Confident In Likely Event He Starts a Backup QB for First Time

Bears coach has never had to get a backup QB ready to start in the regular season but Caleb Williams' injury makes it likely he'll be doing it now.
Gene Chamberlain|
Tyson Bagent had a rough go in his NFL debut against the Vikings in 2023, much like in his first 2026 appearnace on Sunday.
Tyson Bagent had a rough go in his NFL debut against the Vikings in 2023, much like in his first 2026 appearnace on Sunday. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears


Ben Johnson has never had to start a backup quarterback as a coordinator or head coach.

There's a first time for everything. While Caleb Williams' outlook seems positive for the future, this week looks like the only way it will not be Tyson Bagent's first start since 2023 is if Williams is able to play without practicing after suffering a hamstring injury.

Bagent has been prepped all along.

“With all those quarterbacks, they all grew from the understanding of what we’re trying to get done," Johnson said. "We charted every single throw last year, we charted every single throw this year, and all three quarterbacks jumped (improved)N from Year 1 to Year 2 over the course of training camp, which was an encouraging thing to see and really to be expected. That’s what you would want to see.

"The mastery of the offense in that room is at another level. We’ve got a really dynamic quarterback room in terms of guys that are challenging each other, they’ve got great ideas, very smart, cerebral, they push each other. We’ve got three guys that can win football games.”

Johnson wanted Bagent back this year and they extended his contract, then admitted to receiving trade offers but declined.

"I mean, I would be a lot more concerned if I didn't have a year and a half under our belts together now, and so I've seen them every single day in practice," Johnson said.

Bagent's only playing time was mopping up or in a trick play last year in Johnson's first season.

"So if it goes that route, I feel strongly about what he's capable of and our team does, too," Johnson said. "They know he's a darn good football player. He's won games in the past.

"Him and Case both have won games in this league. There's a lot of confidence that both of those guys can get the job done if it comes to it.”

Bagent couldn't get it done Sunday when thrust into the game. Ironically, his first appearance in an NFL game came in relief because of injury against the Vikings, but it was with Justin Fields at quarterback in 2023. He wasn't able to pull out the win in either game, and Sunday had the Bears poised at the 12-yard line in the final 10 seconds but couldn't get it done.

Johnson was still unhappy about the final three plays on Monday.

“I told the team that I was disappointed in our execution in those three plays," Johnson said. "And the reason is we've dedicated a lot of time and energy throughout the offseason, throughout training camp, walk-throughs, full-speed reps for many of those plays and what we need to do to have success there. We've detailed it.

"Each man's assignment is really important and we didn't quite execute the way that we were looking to do in really all three of those plays. And I thought we had some opportunities and some good looks that we could been a little bit cleaner on.”

It ended with Bagent taking a sack when Will Turner beat the block of tight end Colston Loveland. Johnson didn't want to elaborate on whether Loveland was supposed to be blocking the dangerous Vikings edge rusher or it was a mistake.

After the game, Bagent blamed himself for taking the sack instead of at least throwing it up for grabs. It was their last chance.

Next Monday night, the Eagles may not get the chance for many of those. When Bagent was quarterback in 2023, the one thing he did do was get the ball out with expediency even if it didn't always get downfield far. His sack percentage that year for four starts and the Vikings game when he made a debut was 3.38%. It was 10.63% for Fields that year behind the same line, and it was a line that allowed 50 overall sacks.

BEARS ACTIONS AND REACTIONS AS A RESULT OF LOSS TO MINNESOTA

The game is big for Bagent, too, as he has a chance to show further to other teams what he's capable of doing, in case that trade talk goes beyond discussion next offseason.

The Bears might not be in the best hands on Monday night but they should be in safe hands with Johnson and Bagent working together. That is, unless the Iceman is also equipped with the super power of healing quickly.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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