The Chicago Bears had OTAs wrap up on June 11. They have used the last several weeks to get some valuable practice reps in, and there are some players who are floating under the radar.
We all know that Caleb Williams is the starting quarterback, and everything will be done to surround him with talent. At the same time, having a backup QB is very important in the NFL. Chicago has Tyson Bagent going into his third year, but they also signed Case Keenum in free agency.
In April, he signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal, but has reportedly opened up the competition for QB2. Keenum has made his presence felt in the quarterback room with Williams.
Case Keenum Has Gone Under the Radar
Johnson said Keenum is "absolutely" in the mix for the backup job and was seen taking second-team reps over Bagent during an OTA practice.
Ben Johnson going back to his "no depth chart" mantra when it comes to the #2 quarterback. He says Case Keenum is "absolutely" in the mix for that job. We've seen Keenum taking the #2 reps over Tyson Bagent the last two weeks of OTAs. @cbschicago
— Matt Zahn (@mattzahnsports) May 28, 2025
It seems fairly obvious that Keenum will win the backup QB spot, especially since he was talked out of retirement by Johnson this offseason.
The 37-year-old is an 11-year veteran. He's made stops with the Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders, and Buffalo Bills. Across 80 games (66 starts), Keenum has completed 62.3% of his passes for 15,175 passing yards, 79 touchdowns, and 51 interceptions. His record is 30-36 as a starter at these stops. He also has two playoff starts under his belt.
Johnson wouldn't have convinced Keenum to return instead of stepping away if he wasn't going to be the backup. Injuries are a part of the team, so if Williams does have to miss time, the Bears could be confident their offense won't fall off dramatically and still be competitive. Keenum can provide that for Chicago, and he's someone to watch for during training camp.
Johnson has been saying there's "no depth chart" when it comes to the backup quarterback position, but it looks like the Houston product is poised to be QB2 in 2025.