The Chicago Bears‘ hopes for what they could achieve this season seemed to take a significant hit when third-year quarterback Caleb Williams went down with a scary-looking hamstring injury in what became a 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon.
On Sunday evening, NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk shared an update on Williams’ status that could make Chicago fans feel slightly better.
Caleb Williams dealing with “lowest level” of hamstring injuries?
“The hope, we’re told, is that it will be diagnosed as a Grade 1 injury,” Florio wrote about Williams’ setback. “That’s the lowest level, with minimal tearing of the muscle fibers. Ultimately, the MRI will show the extent of the injury.”
In the Bears’ Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 13, Williams played like a potential MVP candidate when he helped his team earn an impressive 59-37 victory. He wasn’t as elite against the Vikings, however, as he completed 15-of-26 passes for 138 yards and one interception before he was carted off the field.
Per ESPN stats, Williams ended the weekend ranked fifth in the NFL with an 83.8 adjusted QBR for the season.
What’s next for Caleb Williams, Bears?
Florio was sure to note that it’s too early to say if Williams will be able to play when 1-1 Chicago hosts the 2-0 Philadelphia Eagles for a “Monday Night Football” showdown on Sept. 28. As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Bears as 4.5-point home underdogs for that matchup.
“If Williams can’t go,” Florio added, “it will be Tyson Bagent. Who performed well in limited duty on Sunday, and in whom the Bears have a high degree of confidence. Bagent started four games as a rookie in 2023, winning two of them. Last year, the new coaching staff led by Ben Johnson opted to sign Bagent to a two-year, $10M extension.”
Against the Vikings, Bagent completed 5-of-9 passes for 54 yards. As noted by RotoWire, one would think Bagent “stands a good chance of getting the start” for Chicago’s prime-time game against Philadelphia.
