NFL insider Tom Pelissero gave Chicago Bears fans hope that quarterback Caleb Williams could play in their Week 3 Monday Night Football showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, but Ben Johnson offered a different perspective.
Williams injured his hamstring late in the fourth quarter of the Bears' 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and had to be carted off the field. It was initially thought to be serious, but he avoided disaster. Unfortunately for Bears fans, though, Johnson poured cold water on that idea with the update he provided on ESPN Radio in Chicago.
"It sounds like it's going to be a week-to-week deal for him. ... But he will likely miss some time."
Ben Johnson this morning to @JeffJoniak re: Caleb Williams' right hamstring injury --> "It sounds like it's going to be a week-to-week deal for him. ... But he will likely miss some time."
— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) September 21, 2026
Ben Johnson letting it down easy with Bears fans regarding Caleb Williams
This is not as great an update as what Pelissero reported, but still, week-to-week is still week-to-week, not way better than the alternative. Many feared an Achilles injury, so if this is to be the case with his hamstring, a lot of Bears fans should still be happy.
Tyson Bagent is the backup, so he will most likely get the start for the Bears. That's not a bad thing, though, despite having not start a game since 2023. Bagent was 2-2 when he filled in for the Bears that season, so he's actually won games.
If Bears fans are being realistic, Williams playing in the Eagles game is a recipe for disaster. He wouldn't be 100% healthy and would have to stay in the pocket the whole time. His best attribute is what he can do out of the pocket while throwing the football.
Bagent may not be as fast as Williams, but he can run out of the pocket himself and show his athletic ability. Bears fans have seen it in the past, so they are kind of the same type of quarterback in some ways.
This feels like an injury that will keep Williams out for maybe three to four games. Bagent can win games during that time. He's done it before with a far less talented Bears team, so with the weapons he has on offense, this unit should still be good.
Read more: 4 winners (and 5 losers) from Bears' painful Week 2 loss to Vikings
Williams' situation keeps getting odder and odder as the minutes roll on, so Bears fans better be ready for the roller coaster ride this week. There'll probably be a million different reports about what will happen, so fans should wait for the inactive list to come out 90 minutes before the Bears-Eagles kickoff.
Add us as a preferred source on Google