Reports suggest Tyson Bagent will start at quarterback against the Jets

All week long, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has done his best to keep his starting quarterback under wraps ahead of their Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets. With Caleb Williams still out nursing a hamstring injury, the team was either going to turn to backup Tyson Bagent or journeyman veteran Case Keenum.

In Week 3, the Bears turned to Keenum, and he delivered. Chicago's offense operated like a well-oiled machine en route to a 27-7 victory, as Keenum turned back the clock and completed 24-of-34 pass attempts for 247 yards and three total touchdowns.

Bagent likely would've started that game had it not been for a concussion suffered at the end of their Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He wasn't able to practice the entire week leading up to the game, paving the way for Keenum to get the nod.

This week, Bagent was healthy. Despite Johnson's best efforts, reports are starting to trickle out that the team gave him all the first-team reps in practice, and he's trending towards making the start against the Jets.

"My understanding is that Tyson Bagent took the majority of the first-team reps at practice this week," reported NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "While Ben Johnson has not yet named a starter, the expectation is that the backup quarterback, Tyson Bagent, is the starter on Sunday."

New York Jets may have prime opportunity to record their first interception under Aaron Glenn

Bagent has been with the Bears since 2023, when he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of the Division II program Shepherd.

Over four seasons with Chicago, Bagent has appeared in 13 games. He went 2-2 as the starter in four games during the 2023 season. He's completed 65.8% of his passes, thrown three touchdowns to six interceptions, and passed for 971 yards.

While Chicago surely has a lot of confidence in Bagent as their backup quarterback, evident by the two-year, $10 million extension they awarded him before the 2025 season, he presents a prime opportunity for the Jets' defense to snap their record-breaking interception drought.

Jets X Factor's Michael Nania pointed out that Bagent owns the eighth-highest career interception percentage among active quarterbacks, and with Minkah Fitzpatrick set to return to an already stingy defense, this may be their best chance to pull down a pick.

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