The Chicago Bears made a surprise move on Wednesday, extending backup quarterback Tyson Bagent on a two-year $10 million deal that can be worth up to $16 million based on incentives. It is a move that rewards Bagent's strong camp and preseason play. Having him behind Caleb Williams for the next few seasons offers stability and gives head coach Ben Johnson a nice fallback option he can work on building up within the Chicago offense. It does come as a bit of a surprise after Bagent was demoted earlier in the year.
Johnson talked veteran quarterback Case Keenum out of retirement in an effort to improve the position. While Keenum is still an important piece of the roster, it seems the front office is more interested in securing Bagent's future and having Keenum as simply a voice of reason. The veteran does have far more proven accomplishments, but is nearing the end of his career.
It makes sense to go ahead and prepare for next season when it seems likely that Keenum will retire. Bagent has a chance to be a long-term piece as a reliable option behind Williams. Signing him now likely saves money in the long run and takes away one question.
The #Bears are signing QB Tyson Bagent to a two-year, $10 million contract extension worth up to $16M with incentives, his reps at Milk and Honey Sports and Key Player Management tell The Insiders.@CHGO_Bears first reported the deal, which ties Bagent to Chicago through 2027. pic.twitter.com/rL2XgKK2qF
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 20, 2025
The Bears Make Surprise Quarterback Move Ahead of Preseason Finale
Mike Garafolo reported the deal while the Bears were the first to announce the signing. Bagent is now locked up for two seasons on a deal that has a chance to be worth $16 million. It seems unlikely that many of these incentives will be reached if they have anything to do with playing time. Keenum is still expected to be the primary backup, and Caleb Williams has proven to be durable both in college and in the quarterback's rookie season.
Still, this is a great move that rewards a backup who has shown surprising growth throughout camp and the preseason. The work that Bagent has put in over the last two years is starting to show and leave clear reason to believe the Bears made the right decision going and pulling the trigger on a new deal.
Bagent can now rest easy that his roster spot is locked into place for the foreseeable future. This does spell bad news for Austin Reed, who came into camp as an outside shot to make the roster. It is clear that this race has long been over, and Bagent was given deserved stability.