The Chicago Bears have their starting quarterback in Caleb Williams, and nothing short of an injury is going to change that at any point in 2025.
However, the battle for the backup QB position began heating up on the second day of OTAs, which took place on Wednesday, May 21.
Former undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent has held the QB2 job for the past two seasons, first behind Justin Fields in 2023 and then Williams last year. However, Bears new head coach Ben Johnson brought in veteran Case Keenum as competition for Bagent, which has apparently already begun in earnest.
"Top 3 Takeaways from Bears OTA 5-21-25: 1. Ben Johnson is intense. Screamed at Cole Kmet for what appeared to be lining up incorrectly," Mark Carman of CHGO Bears posted to X. "2. Caleb Williams did not have his best day. Ball came out slow at times, off the mark. 3. Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent both got #2 reps."
Bagent, who turns 25 years old next month, is in the final season of his three-year, $2.7 million contract before hitting restricted free agency in March 2026.
He has thrown for 870 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions with a 66.2% completion rate and owns a starting record of 2-2 in the NFL (nine appearances).
Keenum, 37, inked a one-year contract worth $2.25 million to join the Bears this offseason. He owns a record of 30-36 in his NFL career and has tallied 15,175 passing yards, 79 touchdowns and 51 interceptions across 80 appearances.