The Chicago Bears were given an injury scare on Thursday with veteran quarterback Case Keenum forced to exit practice early. The exact details of the injury or what it might mean for the quarterback room moving forward are very much in question. However, there is no denying it is a frustration to already have a key player dealing with injury this early in the season.
Keenum was talked out of retirement to be an upgrade over Tyson Bagent and give Caleb Williams a calming voice on the sideline. So much of Keenum's value is still present even if the veteran was forced to miss extensive time. Still, all of this remains a hypothetical based not only on the shortened practice but on a report emerging that the quarterback still wasn't on the field on Friday.
It appears that whatever the injury or concern is with the veteran, it is lingering into the weekend. This could serve as an opportunity for Austin Reed and Tyson Bagent to be in the spotlight in Chicago's second preseason game. A great opportunity for two players who came into the preseason on the roster bubble. For Keenum, it isn't yet time to be concerned with two weeks remaining before the regular season.
Bears Already Dealing with Quarterback Injury Concerns
So much of what Keenum brings to this roster is based on his experience and ability to help Williams take the next step. As long as whatever is going on doesn't prevent this from happening, Bears fans shouldn't view it negatively. While Keenum is better than Bagent, if the franchise quarterback goes down for a meaningful amount of time, the season is over, regardless of which player replaces Williams.
All of this adds up to Keenum's missing practice being of little concern for the franchise or fan base. Understandably, the bulk of the attention is going to be on Williams and whether or not there are signs of progression. The quarterback taking a step forward must happen for the Bears to continue to develop.
Still, watching for news on what exactly the situation with Keenum becomes is among top current stories as Chicago fans continue to anxiously await the regular season. It does create far more interest in the quarterback battle as well if the veteran misses time with Reed having a chance to make a case against Bagent in the Chicago's second preseason tilt.