The Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson connection is off to a rocky start for the Chicago Bears, who started the season 0-2 following a 52-21 drubbing by the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
As the game got out of hand for the Bears, Johnson pulled Williams with eight minutes left in the game and sent out backup Tyson Bagent.
After the game, Williams addressed the team's slow start and Johnson's decision to bench him for Bagent.
"It sucks that your guys are out on the field, and you're not," Williams said. "And that's frustrating because you put [in] so much time, energy and effort, and those guys are out there still battling, and you're on the sideline. But it was coach's decision, and you gotta move on from it.
"In that situation, I'm thinking of how can I help this team, this offense?" Williams added. "Whether it's me saying something on the field or to whoever ... or whatever the case may be, just to get the momentum going, get us going and get this team rolling."
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In his second year with the Bears, Williams' future has come into question just two games into the reset at head coach.
An undrafted rookie free agent in 2023, Bagent went 2-2 as a starter in his first year in an emergency role. Chicago signed him to a two-year, $10 million extension in August as a bet on the growth he's shown.
That has sown some seeds of doubt on Williams having a long runway with Johnson.
"I don't think this head coach is just going to sit around on his hands and go, 'You know, like we're just going to give Caleb forever to meet and reach the checkpoints that we've set out for him.' And so because you now have a QB2 that everyone in the building believes in and continues to show significant progress from where he was two plus years ago when he walked in this building to now–that conversation isn't one that Chicago should be scared of," The Athletic's Dan Wiederer said on 670 The Score in August.
"You should feel great about the things that Tyson Bagent has done to put himself in position to be a guy that can either fill in in case of emergency or be an answer for you if you need. A temporary switch of lanes here as you go."
Williams has thrown for 417 yards, three touchdowns and one interception through these first two games, although his sack numbers and decision-making remain a concern.
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