The Chicago Bears will start Case Keenum at quarterback Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, bypassing Tyson Bagent even though he cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.
Bagent suffered a concussion during last Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings and was listed as questionable on Saturday’s injury report before returning to practice. But according to Glazer, the Bears and head coach Ben Johnson decided Bagent didn’t have enough time to prepare for the Eagles defense, opening the door for Keenum to get the nod instead.
Keenum has started 66 games over an 11-year NFL career, though his most recent start came on Christmas Eve 2023 with the Houston Texans. Bagent, by contrast, has started four career games, all as a rookie with the Bears in 2023, and will be available off the bench if Keenum struggles.
The quarterback shuffle began after starter Caleb Williams left last week’s game against the Vikings with a right hamstring injury. Bagent stepped in and went 5-for-9 before being sacked on the final play. ESPN reported Sunday that Williams has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and is expected to be out three to four weeks.
Monday’s game will mark the first Williams has missed since the Bears made him the first overall pick in the 2024 draft. He opened this season by leading Chicago to a 59-point outburst in a win over the Carolina Panthers, but the offense stalled a week later against a Vikings defense coordinated by Brian Flores.
Williams is one of several starting quarterbacks around the league already sidelined for multiple weeks by injury this season.
The Bears enter Monday’s matchup at 1-1 and will host the New York Jets on Oct. 4.
