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Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent’s turnover-filled loss to Green Bay has created an immediate decision for Ben Johnson: whether to turn to Case Keenum if starting quarterback Caleb Williams cannot play against the Atlanta Falcons next week. Locked On Bears host Lorin Cox argued that Bagent’s poor reads, as much as his inaccurate throws, make it difficult to send him back out as the starter.
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Bagent threw two interceptions into tight coverage before his benching Sunday, a troubling change from the previous week’s near-misses that Cox characterized as physical errors. Against the Packers, Cox said the backup’s mistakes came on decisions that offered little chance for a completion, while Chicago’s offense produced almost no effective vertical passing game.
Keenum did not provide a clean answer in relief. Cox noted that he threw an interception and lost a fumble while operating against a more conservative defense in garbage time. Still, Cox prefers the veteran if Williams is unavailable because Keenum could be more reliable with the football, particularly if Johnson gives the offense a stronger running-game foundation.
Johnson’s preparation plan complicates the choice. The head coach must decide whether Williams needs practice reps in order to play Sunday, or whether those snaps should go to Bagent or Keenum. Cox also questioned whether Williams, who has missed the last three games after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 2, should be asked to play Sunday and then again on the short turnaround against New England the following Thursday.
The Bears do not need to decide their long-term quarterback depth chart this week, but the Packers game changed the immediate stakes. Johnson publicly backed Bagent as a capable replacement, yet the quarterback’s performance and the coach’s reluctance to let him attack downfield left that confidence difficult to reconcile with the result.
Cox’s larger point was that Chicago cannot treat the quarterback decision as an isolated personnel problem. The offense exposed Bagent to too much obvious passing after it abandoned a productive ground game, and a similar plan would put Keenum in an equally difficult position.
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Williams’ availability before the Falcons game will shape the decision, but Cox’s preferred contingency is clear: Prepare Keenum to start if Williams cannot go.
Bears News and Notes
– Running back D’Andre Swift received nine carries despite averaging nearly five yards per attempt. Chicago also gave five handoffs to Roschon Johnson, while several jet sweeps and end-arounds failed to generate momentum, leaving the offense without the support its backup quarterback needed.
– The defense allowed Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love to complete six deep throws, an outcome Cox said was especially concerning because much of the coverage was zone-based. Cox also pointed to insufficient pressure on Love, who had time to set up and attack downfield.
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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 9:19 PM.