While the Chicago Bears may have avoided the worst with Caleb Wiliams' hamstring injury, the timeline is such that the team may be looking at a stretch of starts from Tyson Bagent while he recovers. Should that be the case, Ben Johnson is confident in his backup quarterback.
"I would be a lot more concerned if I didn't have a year-and-a-half under our belts together now, and so I've seen him every single day in practice," Johnson said. "We've had a lot of reps during the course of training camp and in the preseason. So, if it goes that route, I feel strongly about what he's capable of, and our team does too. They know he's a darn good football player. He's won games in the past. Him and Case [Keenum] both have won games in this league. There's
a lot of confidence that both of those guys can get the job done if it comes to it."
While one wouldn't expect Johnson to be outright concerned, at least publicly, this is a pretty firm declaration of confidence not only in Bagent but in Case Keenum as well. The Bears have kept their quarterback room consistent in Johnson's two years, and that has given the Bears' head coach a level of confidence in working with each for however long Williams remains out.
The focus now is, of course, on Bagent as the presumed starter for whatever shape that timeline may take. It's almost hard to believe that Bagent is in his fourth year in the NFL, but his last string of starts came back in 2023. That season, he totaled five appearances, 859 yards, and three touchdowns against six interceptions. In the handful of times we've seen him in the subsequent years, he's certainly demonstrated growth to the point where the team extended his contract through the 2027 season.
While Bagent doesn't possess remotely the skillset of Caleb Williams, he offers more stability than you might get out of your typical backup. He's acquainted with Johnson's process, too, which is certainly part of where Johnson's confidence in Bagent originates. Given that the Bears may be inclined to play it safe with Williams, whether that confidence is completely founded is something that could come into focus fairly soon.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson discusses confidence in Bears QB Tyson Bagent
