Tyson Bagent starts at Lambeau Sunday. Where Caleb Williams stands
Caleb Williams is out with a hamstring strain, so Tyson Bagent starts at Lambeau Field Sunday at noon on FOX. Here's when Williams could return.
If you're planning a Sunday around the Packers game, start the chili earlier than you thought. The game moved up to noon. Tyson Bagent will start at quarterback at Lambeau Field. Caleb Williams is ruled out with a hamstring strain and won't practice this week. By the most hopeful estimate he's back Oct. 18 in Atlanta, but early November looks more likely.
Bagent starts Sunday, Williams is out
Ben Johnson said Monday that Bagent will start Sunday, Oct. 11, in Green Bay. It's his second start in a row. Williams has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and is out.
Kickoff is noon Central on FOX. The game was first set for 3:25 p.m. Central. On Sept. 29 the NFL moved it to the early window. No other Week 5 games changed. Some schedule pages still list the old time, so go by the noon start.
The Bears go in at 3-1, which would make a win their fourth in five games. WeAreGreenBay lists the Packers at 2-2. For once, Chicago looks like the team with a better shot heading north, even without its starting quarterback.
What happened to Williams
Williams hurt his hamstring late in the Bears' Sept. 20 loss to the Vikings and left the game early. A Grade 2 strain is a partial tear of the muscle. It's worse than a mild pull and not as bad as a full tear. With a quarterback who needs to scramble, plant and throw on the run, the team has no reason to rush him.
Sunday will be the third straight game he misses, and he won't practice this week. Johnson didn't give a timeline. "It's a week-to-week deal," he said. He also said Williams is "doing a great job with his rehab," which is the only good news in the update.
How Bagent played last time
Bagent is the one doing the job right now. In his last start the Bears beat the Jets 23-12, and he completed 25 of 34 passes for 268 yards. It was his first NFL start since his rookie year in 2023.
He was a long way from fully prepared for that game. He spent most of the week before it in the concussion protocol. Bagent and Case Keenum have split the backup work while Williams has been hurt. Against the Jets, Keenum played just the opening snap and Bagent took it from there.
Keenum is the backup again Sunday. Johnson made it clear who's in charge this week and called Bagent "the guy." This time Bagent gets a full week of practice as the starter.
When Williams could return
Johnson has also said Williams is still the starter once he's healthy, so Bagent is filling in, not taking over.
The earliest he could be back is Sunday, Oct. 18, at Atlanta. The Sun-Times calls that the best case. SI's betting coverage also points to the following week and hopes he's practicing by then. It also notes he could miss more time.
The Sun-Times considers the Nov. 2 game against Seattle more realistic. That would be about six weeks after the injury, and Williams would have most of a month to rebuild his hamstring strength before playing on it again.
Nothing is set. "Week-to-week" means the Bears will decide each week. Practice reports are the first thing to watch: if Williams is listed as a limited participant next week, Atlanta becomes possible. If he's still not practicing, figure on Bagent playing at least one more game, and maybe more.
What to watch Sunday
At DraftKings, the Bears are a 3-point favorite. SI notes it's only the third time in 30 seasons the Bears have been road favorites in Green Bay. Even a field goal is a big edge for Chicago in that building.
Running back Kyle Monangai has a thumb injury, but Johnson expects him to play. It's a small concern, mostly for ball security in the October cold.
Kickoff is noon, so check the final injury report Sunday morning before you settle in. After that, it's on Bagent to win at Lambeau.
Sources (8)
- Chicago Sun-Times: Bears rule out QB Caleb Williams vs. Packers, will start backup Tyson Bagent again
- NBC Sports / ProFootballTalk: Caleb Williams still week-to-week but won't practice this week
- WeAreGreenBay: QB Tyson Bagent expected to start against Packers
- SI: Concerning Caleb Williams injury update doesn't hurt Bears' odds vs. Packers in NFL Week 5
- FBSchedules: NFL Schedule 2026, one change announced for Week 5
- Field Level Media: Bears-Packers game in Week 5 flexed into early TV window
- AmericanTV: How to watch Bears vs. Packers on DIRECTV
- The Fantasy Footballers: Kyle Monangai day-to-day due to thumb issue
Photo: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin (9179634311).jpg) by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Photos of Tyson Bagent: stills from a CrossFit video.