Tyson Bagent appears set to get his turn in the Chicago Bears’ offense, even after Case Keenum delivered three total touchdowns in a win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ian Rapoport reported Friday on NFL Network’s “The Insiders” that Bagent is expected to start against the New York Jets after receiving first-team practice reps. That would put Chicago’s usual backup back in the lineup while Caleb Williams remains sidelined.
From The Insiders on @nflnetwork: #Bears QB Tyson Bagent is expected to start after getting first-team reps, while coach Ben Johnson stays 🤐. pic.twitter.com/XBoL8JfX05
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 2, 2026
The Bears have ruled Williams out for a second consecutive game because of his hamstring injury, but coach Ben Johnson has not publicly named his replacement.
“We’ll find out on Sunday,” Johnson told reporters Friday.
The distinction matters. Bagent is the reported choice, not an announced starter, and Johnson has yet to publicly explain why he would turn to him after Keenum’s successful outing. What has changed since last week is Bagent’s opportunity to prepare after clearing concussion protocol.
Why Case Keenum started against the Eagles
Bagent was the first quarterback off the bench when Williams was injured against Minnesota in Week 2. His own concussion then complicated Chicago’s plans for the following game.
Bagent did not clear the protocol until Sunday, leaving Keenum to start against Philadelphia a day later. Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, added a rushing score and finished with a 110.8 passer rating in the 27-7 victory.
That performance gives Johnson a credible alternative if Bagent does not start. It also explains why the choice has drawn attention: Chicago would be changing quarterbacks after a productive game, rather than responding to an ineffective offense.
Keenum’s touchdown passes went to Luther Burden III and Kalif Raymond, and his fourth-quarter rushing touchdown finished the scoring. Chicago improved to 2-1, avoiding a second straight loss while playing without its starting quarterback.
The defense supplied substantial help. There were three Philadelphia turnovers and just 248 total yards. Saquon Barkley gained only nine rushing yards on four second-half carries.
Those contributions are part of the standard facing either Bears quarterback Sunday. Keenum played well, but Chicago also created a game in which its offense did not have to chase a large deficit or answer a steady series of scoring drives.
What the Bears have seen from Tyson Bagent
Bagent’s regular-season experience remains limited. All four of his career starts came in 2023, when he completed 94 of 143 passes for 859 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions.
He attempted only six regular-season passes across 2024 and 2025. Against Minnesota this season, he went 5-for-9 for 54 yards without a touchdown or interception.
That creates an important limit on any comparison with Keenum’s Monday performance. Bagent’s recent regular-season sample is too small to establish what a full game in the current offense will look like, and his rookie statistics come from a different stage of his development.
Chicago has nevertheless made a longer-term commitment to him. The Bears announced a two-year extension on Aug. 20, 2025, keeping Bagent under contract through 2027.
At the time, general manager Ryan Poles emphasized Bagent’s work habits and influence inside the organization, while Johnson pointed to him as an example of the team he wanted to build.
That endorsement predates the current injuries; the Bears’ investment in Bagent was already in place before they needed a replacement for Williams.
The contract does not explain Sunday’s reported decision by itself. It does establish that Bagent’s place in Chicago’s plans extends beyond an emergency opening created over the past two weeks.
Preparation is central to Chicago’s quarterback choice
In a Friday report on the quarterback room, Mayer described how Keenum and Bagent study together and test one another on the offense.
Keenum credited Bagent’s command of assignments, while Bagent said he learned from watching how the veteran handled the week leading into the Eagles game.
Offensive coordinator Press Taylor offered a more specific explanation of the staff’s confidence in Bagent.
“He operates the system at a high level,” Taylor said. “I mean, he’s an extremely intelligent person, extremely competitive person. You sense a little bit of him and Ben are kind of similar in the competitive edge that they both carry, but also just the intelligence they carry. We install, and he can take it to the grass right away in an hour. All our guys are that way.”
Taylor also praised Bagent’s ability to take material from installation meetings onto the practice field quickly. That is relevant to the current choice because Johnson is evaluating more than the most recent box score: he has to decide which quarterback can execute this week’s plan.
There is encouraging exhibition evidence, too. The team reported Bagent’s preseason passer ratings of 119.9 in 2024, 106.6 in 2025 and 119.3 this year.
Those numbers support the staff’s positive assessments, but they should not be treated as interchangeable with regular-season production against starting defenses.
The offense will have another change against the Jets
Quarterback is not the only position where Chicago will need a replacement. The Bears also ruled out left tackle Braxton Jones with a knee injury and identified Theo Benedet as his replacement.
D’Andre Swift, meanwhile, returned to full practice Friday and has no game designation after missing Thursday with knee soreness. His availability preserves an established option in the backfield as Chicago adjusts at quarterback and tackle.
The Jets’ official matchup preview listed the Bears first in the NFL with 184.3 rushing yards per game and 5.27 yards per rushing play entering Week 4. Maintaining that support would help either backup avoid having every possession depend on the passing game.
New York enters 1-2, but its quarterback has been productive. Geno Smith completed 83.8 percent of his passes for 321 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Jets’ loss to Detroit, according to the same preview.
Chicago therefore cannot assume another seven-point defensive effort will carry the day. The offense still has to sustain possessions and finish scoring opportunities, whichever quarterback takes the opening snap.
For readers following Williams’ injury and Chicago’s replacement options, Friday’s report narrows the immediate question. Bagent is expected to get the assignment against the Jets; the remaining step is confirmation from Johnson and the Bears.
