The Chicago Bears expect Caleb Williams to miss time, but the quarterback avoided a major hamstring injury.
Head coach Ben Johnson said Monday on ESPN 1000 that the team believes Williams will be "week-to-week" following an MRI exam.
"It sounds like it's gonna be a week-to-week deal for him," Johnson said. "I gotta still talk with our trainer here, we'll do that here shortly, and I'll have the lowdown from him, but it sounds like it's week-to-week but will likely miss some time."
Williams exited Sunday's 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings after coming up lame on a scramble in the fourth quarter. The QB was emotional while being carted off the field but was reportedly seen in the locker room later walking without aid and only a "slight limp."
"Yeah, potentially (dodged a bullet)," Johnson added on Monday. "We'll see. He's tough and he comes back from these types of things better than the average human, so we'll see."
While potentially missing the QB for next Monday night's Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles is a negative, overall, it could be much worse for Williams. Tyson Bagent will get the start if Williams is unable to go.
Given the fragility of hamstring injuries, the Bears could play it cautiously with Williams. An injury that returns with a tweak if not properly healed could linger all season.
With a soft-tissue injury, it will be interesting to see how willing Williams is to scamper when he returns. He has used his legs with aplomb to open the 2026 season.
