You can put out the word that the Chicago Bears are back up.
Bears star quarterback Caleb Williams managed to avoid a major injury to his hamstring in what is being described “the best-case scenario,” Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported on Monday. Pelissero adds that Chicago is not even ruling Williams out yet for their Week 3 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Speaking with ESPN 1000 in Chicago later in the day Monday, Bears head coach Ben Johnson said that he expects Williams to be “week-to-week” with the injury.
Williams, the former No. 1 overall pick, was injured during Sunday’s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. In the fourth quarter at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill., Williams was scrambling on a 1st-and-goal play and went down on a concerning non-contact sequence (see the video here).
The 24-year-old Williams was ultimately carted off the field and diagnosed with a hamstring injury. Given how potentially serious the injury looked at the time, a week-to-week diagnosis is about the best news that the Bears could have possibly hoped for here.
Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent took over under center after Williams was hurt on Sunday and figures to be Chicago’s starter for as long as Williams is sidelined. Though a return in Week 3 against Philadelphia would be a major stretch, Williams might realistically be in play to suit up in Week 4 against the New York Jets (marking two full weeks after his initial injury).
