The Chicago Bears have a legitimate quarterback competition brewing this summer—just not for the starting job.
Caleb Williams is locked in as QB1, but the battle for the backup job between Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum is continuing to play out over the preseason. Bagent, the undrafted fan favorite, is looking to hang on to his job as Chicago’s No. 2. Keenum, the veteran with over a decade of experience, brings proven reliability and a steady presence in the locker room.
Both looked sharp in the preseason opener, but according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, one has the definite edge to win the job after Chicago first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.
“The Bears value what Case Keenum adds to the mix and have been very positive about the 13-year veteran,” Biggs wrote on August 11. “But if there’s a competition for the No. 2 job, it’s fair to say Bagent is clearly in the lead and has gotten there by pouring himself into the new system since the outset of the offseason program.”
Bears HC Ben Johnson Has Been Extremely High on Bagent
Bagent opened his 2025 preseason by starting against Miami and going 13-of-19 for 103 yards with one touchdown and an interception (77.3 rating), including an impressive red-zone strike to Maurice Alexander.
“I thought Tyson did a great job,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said after Chicago’s first preseason matchup against Miami, before shouting out Bagent’s TD to Alexander. “That was one of those high back (of the end zone) throws we’ve been talking about. Maurice is actually the secondary option, so No. 1 wasn’t there. Tyson got to No. 2 and gave him a chance. He climbed the ladder and went up there to get it and got both feet in bounds. Huge play for us in there tight.”
As a pro, Bagent has appeared in nine games with four starts across his first two seasons, completing 96 of 145 passes with three TDs and six interceptions, while adding 102 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground.
He entered the QB2 competition against Keenum as an underdog, but Bagent hasn’t flinched.
A Closer Look at Case Keenum vs. Tyson Bagent for Bears QB2 Job
GettyTyson Bagent of the Chicago Bears is currently the favorite to be QB2, according to Brad Biggs.
While both QBs are learning a new offense, Bagent has two seasons of live reps with this locker room and skill group. Against Miami, he showed command in the quick game and finished a red-zone progression with the Alexander TD—proof that he can run the base offense and the situational menu you need from a backup.
“That was a lot of fun,” Bagent said after the game against Miami. “The only non-fun part was the start we had; got off to a little slow start but then hit the ground running in the second quarter. So it was definitely as exciting as ever to be out there.”
Keenum’s performance against Miami — he went 8-of-10 for 80 yards, two touchdowns, 139.6 rating — was also impressive. Bagent’s age and mobility may give him the edge, but as it stands, the Bears have a very well-rounded QBs room–perhaps the most well-rounded we’ve seen in quite some time.
If Bagent continues to play well over the preseason, the job does feel like his to lose. Either way though, the Bears are set to have a solid QB2 and a decent QB3 behind Caleb Williams.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bears Insider Reveals Who Is ‘Clearly in the Lead’ for Team’s QB2 Job appeared first on Heavy Sports.