The Chicago Bears are expected to start quarterback Tyson Bagent in Sunday's game against the New York Jets at Soldier Field, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.
Bagent will be elevated to starting duties over veteran Case Keenum, who was under center during Chicago's 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. Keenum completed 24 of 34 attempts for 247 yards and two touchdowns in the team's prime-time win.
Bears coach Ben Johnson declined to officially name a starter for Sunday's game, only confirming that Caleb Williams will again be sidelined with a hamstring injury. However, Bagent, who cleared concussion protocol before the Eagles game, has been taking the majority of first-team reps in practice, according to Rapoport.
"We'll find out on Sunday," Johnson said Friday when asked who would start against the Jets, according to Bears.com's Larry Mayer.
The 38-year-old Keenum entered this season as the Bears' third-string QB behind both Williams and Bagent. Bagent took over for Williams after the former Heisman winner's Week 2 hamstring injury and was slated to start last week before his concussion diagnosis. Bagent initially tried to hide his symptoms but eventually fessed up, leading to Keenum starting against Philadelphia.
"Your brain is far more important than being able to play in a game, no matter how high-stakes the game is," Bagent said Thursday, according to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. "We made the right decision."
Bagent, now in his fourth season with the Bears, threw for 54 yards in relief during Chicago's Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The 26-year-old, who joined the Bears as an undrafted free agent from Division II Shepherd University, made four starts during his rookie season in 2023.
