Caleb Williams Listed Full as Bears Keep QB Plan Fluid

Caleb Williams is back in the mix. Bears coach Ben Johnson said Wednesday that Williams would be a full participant in the team's walkthrough, the clearest sign yet that the hamstring that has cost him three straight games is close to letting him start Sunday at the Atlanta Falcons.

Johnson still would not name a starter. "It's still fluid," he said. "But I feel good about the plan that we have in place at this point." For a 3-2 team whose offense has stalled since opening night, that plan is the whole week.

Why the full tag matters

Williams hurt his right hamstring on a fourth-quarter scramble in the Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and was expected to miss three to four games. He returned to practice on a limited basis last Friday and worked out at Lambeau Field hours before kickoff, but sat as Chicago lost in Green Bay.

Wednesday was a walkthrough, so the Bears only had to file an estimated injury report. Even so, listing Williams as full is a real step. Thursday's work should tell fans far more about whether he can take every first-team rep.

Johnson made clear the decision is bigger than one game. "First and foremost, health is the No. 1 priority for all three guys," he said. "I don't know that any of them are exactly at 100 percent at this point in the season. We want whoever is out there to have a good rapport with the offensive line, with the operation, with our pass catchers."

The bridge is running out of road

Chicago went 2-1 without Williams. Case Keenum won a Monday night start against the Eagles, and Tyson Bagent beat the Jets 23-12. Then Bagent threw two interceptions at Green Bay, and Keenum came on with Chicago already down 24. Johnson took the blame, saying, "I put our struggles on myself more than anything else."

The contrast with Week 1 is loud. Williams threw for 269 yards with a 124.1 passer rating as the Bears dropped 59 points on Carolina. Since then, Chicago has scored 12 points or fewer in three of four games.

A short week on both sides

The Bears visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, then host the Patriots at Soldier Field on Thursday night, Oct. 22. Two games in five days is exactly why Johnson keeps talking about the big picture.

Atlanta has its own quarterback watch. Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said Michael Penix Jr. (ribs) is expected to start against Chicago "as long as everything goes according to plan," with Penix set to practice on a limited basis Wednesday for the 2-3 Falcons.

Bears fans have waited three weeks to see the opening-night version of this offense again. If Thursday goes clean and Williams gets the nod, Sunday in Atlanta becomes the first real test of whether that 59-point team was a fluke or the floor.