Tyson Bagent has been the backup quarterback for the Chicago Bears in each of the last two seasons, but he faces some pretty stiff competition this offseason in veteran Case Keenum.
Ever the underdog, Bagent went undrafted in 2023, only to beat out veteran signing P.J. Walker for the QB2 role during the preseason. As the Bears head to training camp in July with no depth chart, both Bagent and Keenum will be taking QB2 reps behind starter Caleb Williams.
In his updated roster projections, ESPN’s Mike Clay has Keenum beating out Bagent for the backup job.
Whatever the outcome, the competition between the two QBs promises to be one of the more intriguing positional battles for Chicago this offseason.
Why Case Keenum Is Likely Favored By Some to Beat Tyson Bagent Out for Backup QB Role
GettyESPN’s Mike Clay has Case Keenum beating out Tyson Bagent to secure the backup QB role for the Chicago Bears.
Both QBs bring contrasting strengths to the QB2 role, but Keenum, 37, brings 11 years of NFL experience — 80 games played, 66 starts, 15,175 passing yards, 79 touchdowns, 51 interceptions and a career record of 37–43. He’s operated in a wide range of NFL offenses for over a decade, so he’s instantly worthy of a good deal of respect.
The pinnacle of Keenum’s career came in 2017 with the Minnesota Vikings. He led them to an 11–3 record as a starter, threw for 3,547 yards and 22 touchdowns, and took them to the NFC Championship. His 67.6% completion rate ranked among the league’s elite that year, and he finished with a 98.3 passer rating.
Subsequent seasons saw him bounce around the league. He had stints with the Broncos (2018), Commanders (2019), Browns (2020-21) and Bills (2022) and Texans (2023), missing the 2024 season due to a foot injury.
The fact that he hasn’t played since 2023 won’t help him, but the Bears didn’t sign him for his athleticism. He’s there to mentor Williams — and Bagent.
Here’s Why We Think Bagent Secures the QB2 Role
Put simply, Bagent feels born for this kind of competition. He became the first Division II undrafted QB to start an NFL game since 1950, and he has been impressive since landing in Chicago in 2023.
His rookie year, he played in five games (four starts), going 94-of-143 for 859 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions, also rushing for 102 yards and two TDs. He posted a 2–2 record as a starter that year, beating the Raiders Week 7 and outplaying then-rookie Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick that year.
In 2024, Bagent remained Chicago’s QB2 behind Williams, seeing limited action (2 pass attempts for 11 yards).
Given Bears GM Ryan Poles’ current roster construction, it’s likely the team is going to have a three-QB roster: starter (Williams), experienced mentor (Keenum), and developing depth (Bagent). But realistically, for QB2, Bagent should have the edge over Keenum when it comes to both in-game trust and overall upside. We think Bagent’s recent 2–2 record, his handling pressure in relief and youth give him a slight edge to be the second active QB on game day.
