Chicago Bears Are Trying To Pull A Fast One With Sneaky Quarterback Move Ahead Of Week 4
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The Chicago Bears may have a quarterback surprise waiting for the New York Jets.
Bears coach Ben Johnson has kept his plans quiet ahead of Sunday’s matchup with Jets coach Aaron Glenn. Both coaches know each other well from their days with the Detroit Lions, but Johnson doesn’t want Glenn to have any clue who’s going to start under center.
With injuries piling up in the quarterback room this week, Johnson has the perfect excuse to keep the Jets guessing. Even after two full days of practice, the Bears still haven’t named a starter.
Tyson Bagent Appears To Have The Inside Track
According to Pro Football Talk, Tyson Bagent has taken first-team reps during practice this week. Case Keenum has not received those reps.
That could point to Bagent starting against the Jets while Caleb Williams continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
Bagent earned the backup job before the season. He also showed what he could do when the Bears needed him in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Bagent entered the game during the fourth quarter and nearly led Chicago to a last-second win. The Bears then turned to Keenum for their Monday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The decision made sense at the time. Bagent had entered the concussion protocol, which limited his preparation. Keenum could prepare for the game while Bagent recovered.
Now, the situation looks different.
Bagent has cleared the protocol and has taken the first-team work this week. That gives him a clear edge in the quarterback race, even though Johnson has not confirmed anything.
The Bears also have not changed their official depth chart. Bagent remains No. 2, while Keenum sits at No. 3.
That only makes things more interesting. Chicago could just come out and name Bagent the starter, or Johnson might keep playing mind games with the Jets all week.
For now, practice tells the real story. If Bagent keeps getting all the first-team reps, the Bears have probably already made up their mind.
