Caleb Williams is expected to miss time after injuring his hamstring in the Chicago Bears' 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, leaving the team to plan for at least one game without its starting quarterback. Ben Johnson said Monday the injury is being treated as week to week after an MRI exam, and Williams may not practice this week.
That matters now because the Bears are moving straight into preparation for their Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, and Tyson Bagent would start if Williams cannot go. Johnson said on 1000 that the Bears believe Williams will likely miss some time, which turns a short-term scare into an immediate quarterback question.
Williams exited Sunday after coming up lame on a scramble in the fourth quarter, then was carted off the field and appeared emotional as he left. Later, he was seen in the locker room walking without aid and with only a slight limp, which is why the team's first read on the injury was more reassuring than the scene on the field suggested. Johnson called the report somewhat encouraging and even said the Bears may have dodged a bullet.
That does not mean the injury should be brushed aside. Hamstring problems are fragile by nature, and if a player comes back before it has properly healed, the same issue can linger all season with a tweak that never fully goes away. Williams had used his legs with aplomb to open the season, so the Bears have to decide not only when he can play again, but how much they are willing to ask of him when he does.
For now, the calculation is simple: if Williams cannot practice, he is unlikely to play; if he cannot play, Bagent starts. Johnson said Williams is tough and usually comes back from these types of injuries better than the average player, but the Bears still have to get through this week first. The next answer that matters is whether Williams can get back on the field in time for Monday night without risking a setback that would follow him far longer than one game.
