The Chicago Bears signed backup quarterback Tyson Bagent to a two-year extension before the end of training camp. Still, it is the third signal caller on the depth chart who has made a major impression on second-year starter Caleb Williams.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson talked veteran Case Keenum out of retirement this offseason so that he'd sign with Chicago. While the likelihood of Keenum seeing meaningful game action this season is slim, his impact on the QB room is already being felt.
According to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times, Williams has been attached at the hip to the 14-year veteran throughout camp in an attempt to soak up as much knowledge as he can from Keenum along the way.
QB Caleb Williams on the impact veteran QB Case Keenum has had on him:
— Bearsszn (@bearssznn) September 1, 2025
‘‘Last year, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. The ‘working hard’ was a little more blind. It was a little more uncertain [whether] I was doing something right. The uncertainty doesn’t help with confidence… pic.twitter.com/GUe9iIS6vB
Bears' Caleb Williams Soaking Up Knowledge From Vet QB Case Keenum
Having the top pick in the draft can be a gift and a curse for NFL franchises. With no lottery system in place, the team picking No. 1 is coming off a terrible campaign from the year before. At the same time, it can be the ultimate opportunity to hit the reset button on a franchise.
The latter is how Bears fans felt following the addition of Caleb Williams before the 2024 season. Like most QBs thrown into the fire as a rookie, Williams had his fair share of struggles in his first year as a professional. He has a new coaching staff around him and a veteran who has seen it all at his disposal now, though, and the second-year QB is taking full advantage of the insights they bring to the table.
With Williams already seeing and feeling the impact that Keenum has had on his game, serving as a sounding board for the rising star when questions arise, Bears fans could see the former USC Trojans star take the next step in his maturation as an NFL QB sooner rather than later.
Williams showed flashes of greatness during his rookie season. With that being said, it wasn't all positive, as evidenced by the 68 sacks he was forced to take. There were also plenty of the typical rookie struggles that we see every year when signal callers from the college ranks get their first taste of NFL action.
Those ebbs and flows were meant to be learning experiences for Williams so that he could be the best version of himself under center once the 2025 campaign kicks off this weekend. With Keenum attached to his hip on the sidelines and practice field, the hope has to be that whatever knowledge and tips the veteran QB provides to Chicago's starter will translate to the field and, ultimately, lead to wins for the Bears.
We'll see just how much of a difference Keenum has made on Williams soon enough, as Chicago is set to host the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football in Week 1.