Caleb Williams moves closer to a return — and the Bears need him

Published October 11, 2026 08:37 PM The Bears had won two games in a row without quarterback Caleb Williams, who suffered a hamstring injury in a Week 2 loss to the Vikings. The streak ended on Sunday, with a sluggish 31-7 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field.After the game, in which the Bears were outgained 428 yards to 245, coach Ben Johnson made it clear that Williams is close to returning.Williams, we’re told, is still regarded as week-to-week. As one source put it regarding the timing of Wiliams’s return, “When he’s ready.”The recovery process has progressed to on-field workouts, so it could indeed be next week (at the Falcons) or the following week (vs. the Patriots), if Williams continues to progress.They need him, based on Sunday. Starter Tyson Bagent was benched after throwing a pair of interceptions, and Case Keenum didn’t fare much better. They combined to complete 23 of 40 passes for 195 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 39.1.The defense needs to do a little more, too. After three straight games allowing 12 or fewer points, the Chicago defense struggled to contain the Green Bay offense.