- Caleb Williams’ hamstring injury was supposed to leave the Bears searching for a short-term answer.
- Williams went down in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings and is now expected to miss three to four weeks.
- The 38-year-old, who had not played in a game in three years, made his first start since the 2023 season with the Houston Texans and helped lead them to a 27-7 win over Philadelphia in Week 3.
- For a team that needed someone steady in a hurry, Keenum’s performance changed the tone of the discussion almost immediately.
- Keenum’s role in that stretch is now the central question.
- He is expected to start the next few games until Williams returns, but head coach Ben Johnson has not committed publicly to a Week 4 starter against the New York Jets.
- Williams’ recovery timeline sits over all of it.
- And because Chicago signed Keenum to a two-year, $10 million extension last year, this is not just a one-game emergency fix.
Case Keenum’s surge puts the Bears’ quarterback plan under a brighter spotlight
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Sources & Referenced Reporting
- beargoggleson.com, “Case Keenum just cleared a path for the Bears to enter QB trade discussions,” Sept. 29, 2026.
- beargoggleson.com, “Bears have the perfect schedule to weather the storm without Caleb Williams,” Sept. 29, 2026.
- beargoggleson.com, “Ben Johnson and Case Keenum are the duo the Bears never knew they needed,” Sept. 29, 2026.
- beargoggleson.com, “Case Keenum backed Ben Johnson in a corner with Week 4 Bears QB decision,” Sept. 29, 2026.
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