Overview
- Head coach Ben Johnson officially ruled Caleb Williams out for a second straight game with a hamstring injury and declined to name a starter for Sunday versus the Jets.
- Case Keenum started and led the Bears to a 27-7 win over the Eagles on Sept. 28, throwing for 247 yards and accounting for three total touchdowns, which gives him immediate momentum for another start.
- Tyson Bagent missed most of last week with a concussion, was cleared from protocol, received increased first-team reps this week, and remains the team's designated No. 2 quarterback with a recent multi-year extension.
- Johnson said a game-plan direction has been made but will announce the starter on game day, a tactic that preserves Chicago's roster flexibility and forces New York to prepare for either signal-caller.
- The decision balances short-term winning against player development because starting Bagent would give the young, paid backup valuable live reps that could raise his long-term value while riding Keenum risks benching a veteran coming off a strong performance.