Bears QB Caleb Williams week-to-week with hamstring pull, likely to miss time

Bears head coach Ben Johnson has sharpened the timeline for quarterback Caleb Williams, saying Monday that the franchise signal-caller is week-to-week with a hamstring pull and indicating he'll miss time after going down in Sunday's loss to the Vikings. Tyson Bagent is in place as the backup.

The update caps a day of shifting signals on Williams' status. Earlier Monday the team had pointed to relatively good news — initial hope of a Grade 1 strain and a refusal to rule him out for the Monday night matchup against Philadelphia — but Johnson's latest characterization on ESPN 1000 walks that back, framing the injury as one that will cost him time. Williams suffered the injury running toward the end zone on wet Soldier Field turf, was helped off and carted to the locker room, and told reporters he was in good spirits.

With the Bears falling to 0-2 and a short week ahead before hosting the Eagles on Monday night, Johnson's "week-to-week" designation for the No. 1 overall pick lets a club that also saw the hamstring issue limit him last season plan around an uncertain opener. Bagent's reps in practice will likely ramp up as the team weighs Williams' availability against the risk of rushing him back.