Caleb Williams has been out of the starting lineup since suffering a hamstring injury in a Week 2 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but the former Oklahoma and USC signal-caller might be nearing a return for the Chicago Bears.
Following Sunday’s 31-7 loss at Green Bay, Bears head coach Ben Johnson discussed his starting QB with reporters and when Williams might be able to return from that gruesome non-contact injury that he sustained back on Sept. 20.
“He’s on track. We’ll see if that’s Atlanta or after. I think it’s going to be close,” Johnson said.
By saying “Atlanta,” Johnson was referring to the Bears’ matchup next Sunday at Atlanta, when they will be trying to bounce back from Sunday’s ugly loss to the rival Packers. It sounds like Williams at least has a shot to play in Week 6 against the Falcons, as Chicago sits at 3-2 on the season.
In the absence of Williams, who played at Oklahoma in 2021 before starring at USC in 2022 and 2023, Chicago has gone at quarterback with a combination of veteran Case Keenum and undrafted 4th-year signal-caller Tyson Bagent.
Keenum and Bagent both saw action on Sunday in the loss at Green Bay, but Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy at USC in 2022, sounds like he’s getting really close to coming back and settling down the Bears’ QB situation.
With the Bears smack in the middle of a very competitive NFC North, every win (and loss) is very important. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about Chicago’s chances to overcome its quarterback issues and win the NFC North title when the dust settles on the 2026 regular season:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
