The Chicago Bears came into the season with high hopes that they could defend their NFC North title and then taking it a couple of steps further by dominating the NFL and winning the franchise's second Super Bowl. While nearly every team has that hope prior to the start of the season, the Bears had the imposing combination of explosive young QB Caleb Williams and the leadership of head coach Ben Johnson.

They had served notice last year that the days of the Bears struggling on offense were over and that they would be at their best when the game was on the line because Williams was at his best in clutch situations. The 59-37 victory over the Carolina Panthers in the season opener had made those preseason hopes seem quite realistic.

Williams suffers hamstring injury

However, disaster struck in Week 2 when Williams injured his right hamstring while running away from the Minnesota Vikings defense late in the fourth quarter. It was a non-contact injury, and Williams was replaced by backup Tyson Bagent after he was helped off the field. The Vikings stopped the Bears on the final drive of the game and emerged with a 9-3 victory.

The Bears have problems. Williams left the field with a severe limp and then was carted into the locker room. Johnson said that Williams was in good spirits after the game, but he did not offer any kind of long-term prognosis on the quarterback's health. He said that Williams will undergo further tests on his hamstring Monday and the Bears will likely know more about the injury in the days that follow.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee,” Johnson said after the game. “That was my first inclination, but yeah, that hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So we’ll see how bad it is (Monday), and we’ll go from there.”

It seems likely that Williams will have to miss time as a result of the injury. Hamstring injuries are not quick to heal, although a 24-year-old athlete like Williams will have a better chance of recovering than an older quarterback.

In the interim, Johnson will have to decide whom he wants to lead the Bears offense going forward.

Bagent should get the first opportunity to lead Bears

The Bears are fairly confident with their backup quarterback situation. Bagent does not have a lot of experience, but he has been impressive with the attitude and effort he has displayed in his three seasons with the Bears.

Bagent was an unknown from tiny Shepherd University when he made the team in 2023. Despite his unknown status at the time, the 6-3, 215-pounder made the team because he was impressive in training camp and in the preseason.

Bagent played in 5 games as a rookie and started 4 times. His numbers were relatively impressive as he completed 94 of 143 passes for 859 yards. He threw 3 interceptions, but he was intercepted 6 times. He also ran 23 times for 109 yards and scored 2 more touchdowns on the ground.

The quarterback barely got off the bench last season, participating in 4 games and completing the only 2 passes that he threw. After replacing Williams against the Vikings, Bagent completed 3 of 4 passes for 47 yards as he led the Bears on a desperation drive in the final minute. He was sacked on the final play of the game and that ensured the Vikings would leave Soldier Field with a victory.

Keenum is an option, but the 38-year-old is a long shot

Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum (11) rolls out against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

While Bagent is a fan favorite and has promise, Johnson has to decide if he is a better option than veteran Case Keenum.  The 38-year-old Keenum has 11 years of NFL experience and he has been involved in multiple pressure situations. He has played with 7 teams in his career, and perhaps his most notable achievement came in 2017 while playing for the Minnesota Vikings. He completed 325 of 481 passes for 3,547 yards with 22 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

The highlight of his time with the Vikings came in the team's playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints. He threw the game-winning 61-yard TD pass to Stefon Diggs on the final play of the game, a play that gave the Vikings a 29-24 victory and became known as the “Minneapolis Miracle.”

Keenum was 29 years old then, and it may be difficult for him to recreate that same kind of success at this point in his career.

Look for the Bears to go with Bagent as their quarterback while Williams is sidelined. Johnson will only turn to Keenum if Bagent fails to execute the Bears offense in a competent manner.