A Tyson Bagent start looks likely for the Chicago Bears on Sunday against the New York Jets, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported. Bagent took the majority of first-team practice reps this week, according to NFL.com, and Caleb Williams remains out. Kickoff at Soldier Field is 1 p.m. EDT on FOX.
Why the Tyson Bagent start makes sense
Bears coach Ben Johnson has not named a starter publicly. “We’ll find out on Sunday,” he said. He also defended the backup quarterback pecking order. “There was a reason why Tyson ended training camp as our No. 2 quarterback,” Johnson said.
Bagent, 26, cleared the concussion protocol after sitting out the win over Philadelphia and has practiced fully this week.
Keenum’s strong night
Case Keenum, 38, started that Monday night game in place of the injured Williams. He completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in a 27-7 victory. Chicago (2-1) hosts New York (1-2) on Sunday. See the Jets vs. Bears preview and our report on the Keenum deal.
Williams still out
Williams is sidelined for a second straight game with a Grade 2 hamstring strain that carries a three-to-four-week recovery timeline. The Bears have not announced a return date for their franchise quarterback.
What to know about Bagent
Bagent is an undrafted free agent from Shepherd and has a 2-2 record as a starter, all from his 2023 rookie season. He has completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 971 career yards. He signed a two-year contract extension in the offseason. The expected Tyson Bagent start caps a week of uncertainty at the position in Chicago.
