Bears' Ben Johnson confirms Tyson Bagent, Caleb Williams decision for Packers game

Ahead of the Chicago Bears' Week 4 game versus the 1-2 New York Jets on Sunday, Bears head coach Ben Johnson declined to reveal whether Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum would start at quarterback over injured QB1 Caleb Williams. 

Johnson has decided to go down a different route as the 3-1 Bears prepare to play at the rival Green Bay Packers (2-2) on Oct. 11. 

Ben Johnson insists Bears "in good shape" after this Tyson Bagent, Caleb Williams decision

Per ESPN's Courtney Cronin, Johnson confirmed during a Monday appearance on ESPN 1000 in Chicago that Bagent will start against the Packers. Williams has not played since he suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain in Week 2, and Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk noted that Williams is considered week-to-week. 

"Tyson will be the guy," Johnson specifically said about his Week 5 starter. "We’ll go from there. We’re in good shape." 

Back on Sept. 28, Keenum completed 24-of-34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns to help the Bears earn an impressive 27-7 "Monday Night Football" win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Bagent spent the majority of the week leading up to that contest in the league's concussion protocol, but he then went 25-of-34 passing for 268 yards and an interception in what proved to be a relatively easy win for Chicago over the lowly Jets (1-3) on Sunday afternoon. 

Why Ben Johnson made this Case Keenum, Tyson Bagent move against Jets

Officially, Keenum received credit for "starting" against the Jets because he took Chicago's first offensive snap of the game when both he and Bagent were on the field. 

"Well, I got all these memos saying that Tyson was starting before I ever made an announcement, so I wanted to get Case out there," Johnson explained about that decision. "It was like his ceremonial first pitch out there. Handing off the torch."

Johnson seemingly feels as if there is no benefit to pretending throughout this week that he could possibly start Keenum over Bagent. As of Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Bagent-led Bears as 2.5-point road favorites over the Packers.