Caleb Williams Injury Update Confirms Bears QB's Progress in Recovery

The Chicago Bears may be 2-0 since losing Caleb Williams to a hamstring injury, but that doesn't mean that the fans aren't itching to see No. 18 return under center. For those fans, the latest report on Williams' rehab should be music to their ears. According to Dan Wiederer of The Athletic, Williams is "progressing notably with his on-field recovery steps" and has looked "spry and comfortable taking drops, planting, slinging it around."

Williams is still not practicing with the team, but the fact that he's moving around with that much confidence leads one to believe that his return is near. In fact, notable NFL insider Ian Rapoport gave his own update from the Caleb Williams front on Wednesday, and he suggested that Williams could return to practice next week ahead of the Bears' Week 6 game against the Atlanta Falcons.

A scheduling quirk could work against Caleb Williams' return from injury

Caleb Williams and Geno Smith — Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams hugs New York Jets QBGeno Smith after a game. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

These updates from Rapoport and Wiederer are tremendous news for Bears fans, but Wiederer adds a cautionary note regarding the Bears' schedule "that could factor into Williams' clearance". In Week 6, the Bears travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons, then face a quick turnaround at home against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.

Williams could potentially return in Week 6, but the Bears may choose to play it safe and hold him out for one more game, especially if they keep winning. However, bringing Williams back after a month on the sidelines and asking him to lead the Bears to victory on a short week doesn't sound like the wisest of plans.

Wiederer did not elaborate on his point about this scheduling quirk, but the fact that he even brought it up makes it something worth considering. The Bears may face a situation where they either bring Williams back in Week 6, which could be too soon, or wait until Week 8, during which time they may lose one or two more games.

The Bottom Line

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams signals during a game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The positive injury updates for Williams continue to roll in, and it sure sounds like he'll be ready to play in Week 6, or at the very least start practicing again. Should he return at that point, he would have missed only three games, and the Bears have already won two of those three. In fact, with the Bears favored to beat the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field for the first time in 20 years, there's a very good chance the Bears will be undefeated in Williams' absence.

The Bears were lucky that Williams' injury was not a significant one, and they've been lucky since then that both of their backup quarterbacks have delivered signature wins. If their luck continues to hold, they may very well prove to be a legit Super Bowl contender, after all.

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