Two games into the 2025 season, the NFL world is already starting to discuss the possibility of the Chicago Bears benching starting quarterback Caleb Williams.
Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler argued that Williams could be in danger of moving to the bench in favor of backup quarterback Tyson Bagent if he continues to struggle running head coach Ben Johnson’s offense for the Bears in the weeks ahead.
Williams has shown progress through the first two games, completing 45-of-60 passes for 417 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, but he has also had some issues with his accuracy and, at times, wound up on the wrong page as his pass-catchers. It hasn’t helped that the wheels have come off the Bears’ offense in both of their losses.
While there is still plenty of time to iron out the issues, Fowler wondered whether the Bears might turn to Bagent instead if Williams is still struggling at the midway point.
“What if the Bears’ Caleb Williams doesn’t find his footing in Ben Johnson’s timing-and-rhythm passing game by, say, Week 10?” Fowler asked in Wednesday’s article. “I think Williams showed positive signs in Sunday’s loss in Detroit. But the feeling coming out of camp was that, despite Williams’ otherworldly talent, the offense was a bit crisper with Tyson Bagent running the huddle.
“Is Johnson willing to be patient here? I think so. And Williams’ immense talent is a commodity worth betting on. But these coaches feel pressure to win — three-year grace periods no longer exist — and Johnson didn’t draft Williams. Just thinking out loud.”
Caleb Williams Showed ‘Significant Growth’ in Week 2
Some fans and media were riled up about Williams’ perceived poor performance in the Bears’ 52-21 loss to the Lions last weekend, but the tape — and the head coach — tell a different story about how 2024’s top draft pick played in his second game of the year.
Williams missed some throws against the Lions and made a poor decision that resulted in an interception when he should have thrown the ball out of bounds. He also recorded the second-slowest time to throw (3.16 seconds) among 30 quarterbacks who attempted at least 15 passes in Week 2, finishing ahead of only J.J. McCarthy, per Next Gen Stats.
When Williams had an opportunity to operate in rhythm, though, he excelled.
As ESPN’s Courtney Cronin pointed out, using NGS, Williams went 14-of-21 passing for 191 yards and two touchdowns on dropbacks in which he released the ball between 2.5 and 4.0 seconds. He dropped to 5-of-9 for 16 yards and a pick when outside that range.
“I did see significant growth,” Johnson said. “It’s not perfect yet. There’s still a number of plays where our eyes aren’t quite in the right position or we’re holding onto the ball just a tick longer than what we’re coaching. But I did see tremendous growth in terms of going through the progression. There were a few times there where we had to get to No. 3 or No. 4 in the read and he was trusting his feet and his footwork and was able to get there. I did think he got better from Week 1 to Week 2. I’m encouraged by what I saw and I’m hopeful that we’ll continue to see another leap here this week.”
Tyson Bagent Could Get Nod if Bears Continue Slump
As Fowler suggested, the Bears are most likely to remain patient with Williams, whom they believe can still develop into their long-term franchise starter in Johnson’s offense.
If Williams’ inconsistent play at quarterback remains a big reason why the Bears cannot win games as the season goes on, though, a move to Bagent could legitimately happen.
Bagent is far from proven as an NFL quarterback. He made four spot starts in place of injured starter Justin Fields as a rookie in 2023, completing 65.1% of his passes for 776 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions and going 2-2 as a starter for the Bears, but he has rarely seen the field in non-garbage-time situations in the two years since.
That said, Bagent impressed Johnson and his new coaches with his command of their offensive system in the summer during training camp. He also put it on display in the preseason, completing 46 of his 69 pass attempts for 511 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception and working through his progressions like a seasoned pro.
Perhaps Fowler is right, then, to suggest the Bears might consider promoting Bagent. The Carolina Panthers benched former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young for Andy Dalton during the 2024 season, and the decision spurred Young to finish out the year strong.
Of course, Williams would have to play really, really badly for the Bears over the next several weeks to bring about such a decision. For now, there is little reason for panic.
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