There is no question that Caleb Williams is QB1 for the Chicago Bears entering the 2025 season and beyond. However, head coach Ben Johnson's comments prior to the start of OTAs about there not being a depth chart raised questions about whether there would be a competition for the backup quarterback spot. The Bears signed veteran Case Keenum in early April, so there was more experience in the room.
That said, there were reports after Chicago's first open OTA session to the media last Wednesday that Keenum was getting second-team reps over Tyson Bagent. Following the Bears' second open OTA session, Johnson was asked about the quarterback depth chart. Johnson said, " [Keenum] is absolutely in the mix to be the second quarterback on the depth chart."
Ben Johnson Confirms QB2 Job is an Open Competition
Johnson's comments may have caught some fans off guard. Many assumed that the former Division II standout proved himself after looking good when he was called upon during his rookie season. Though Bagent wasn't needed in the regular season last year, he still showed improvement during his preseason appearances in 2024.
Even so, having an open competition with Keenum does make some sense. The 37-year-old quarterback has 11 years of NFL experience in starting and backup roles. He even led the Minnesota Vikings to an improbable NFC Championship game in 2017. So, the thought of Keenum entering a game if Williams gets injured may provide more certainty of what will be provided.
Despite that, given that Bagent is 13 years younger than Keenum, some fans would rather see him as the backup. And it's hard to blame them for that since he will be around longer and deserves more opportunity to develop. Still, Keenum would provide massive benefits as a potential backup.
At the end of the day, monitoring how this battle unfolds throughout the rest of OTAs and training camp will be interesting.