The Chicago Bears have reached Wednesday of Week 3 without knowing who will start at quarterback against the Philadelphia Eagles. And Ben Johnson isn't pretending otherwise.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday at Halas Hall, Johnson said he has confidence in all three quarterbacks on Chicago's roster and praised general manager Ryan Poles for constructing a quarterback room capable of handling the unusual situation the Bears suddenly find themselves in.
According to ESPN's Courtney Cronin, Johnson said he's "not sure" who will start Monday night against Philadelphia.
What Johnson does know is that veteran Case Keenum will practice Wednesday. Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent will not.
Williams remains sidelined by the right hamstring injury he suffered in Sunday's 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, while Bagent is now in the NFL's concussion protocol.
That leaves Keenum as the Bears' only healthy quarterback entering their first practice of Eagles week.
Case Keenum gets first crack at Bears offense
Keenum entered the season third on Chicago's depth chart behind Williams and Bagent. That hierarchy has been thrown into chaos over the last three days.
Williams injured his hamstring on a fourth-quarter scramble against Minnesota and was eventually carted to the locker room. Bagent replaced him, completing 5 of 9 passes for 54 yards while nearly directing a game-winning drive in the final minute.
Williams has since been classified as week-to-week, while Bagent's concussion has created another layer of uncertainty.
Johnson's refusal to name a starter Wednesday makes sense with five days remaining before Monday Night Football. Williams' status can continue to be evaluated throughout the week. Bagent has an NFL-mandated process he must complete before being cleared from concussion protocol. Keenum, meanwhile, can begin taking practice reps immediately.
That's why Wednesday represents an important head start for the 38-year-old veteran.
Johnson's comments also explain why Poles' decision to carry an experienced third quarterback could become so important. The Bears didn't enter the season expecting to need three quarterbacks by Week 3. Almost no team does.
But with QB1 nursing a hamstring injury and QB2 in concussion protocol, Chicago could soon find out exactly how valuable that roster construction was.
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