Ranking the 3 Most Likely Scenarios for Caleb Williams' Return From Injury
When Caleb Williams went down with a leg injury in the fourth quarter of yesterday’s ugly 9-3 loss to the Vikings, many Bears fans (myself included) feared the worst—Achilles or ACL. Those fears were only heightened when he was then carted back to the locker room with tears in his eyes, clearly in a significant amount of pain.
But, just as soon as fans’ fears arose, they were quickly quieted (somewhat) when the team announced that he had left the game due to a right hamstring injury, not a knee or Achilles. They were quieted further when it was reported that the injury was believed to only be a strain (rather than a tear), and then even further when it was confirmed that Williams left Soldier Field under his own power—without any brace, crutches, etc.—and with only a “slight limp”.
Still, every Bears (again, myself included) waited with bated breath for the results of this morning’s MRI—and considering what the results could have been, it seems as though the Bears are currently dealing with the best-case scenario.
Head coach Ben Johnson shared this morning that Williams is considered only “week-to-week” with the injury, and that he hasn’t even been ruled out yet for the Bears’ Week 3 Monday Night Football clash with the Eagles.
However, given that Johnson also said that he doesn’t believe the Bears’ franchise quarterback will practice this week, it seems unlikely that he’ll return so soon. Which begs the question: when will Caleb Williams be back in action?
Here are three potential scenarios for Caleb Williams’ return, ranked from most to least likely.
1: Williams Begins Practicing Next Week, Then Returns in Week 5 Against the Packers:
Given the ‘week-to-week’ designation from Ben Johnson, it’s safe to assume (for now) that Williams only suffered a Grade 1 strain, which typically takes 2-3 weeks to recover from. If that is in fact what Williams is dealing with, that would make the Bears’ Week 5 showdown with the Packers at Lambeau Field a very realistic target for a return. It’s also probably the team’s safest option, for several reasons.
First, it’s still very early in the season, and with a 1-1 record there’s no reason to be significantly concerned about the Bears’ playoff chances quite yet. Secondly, Tyson Bagent is (or at least, would appear to be) a more-than-capable backup in Williams’ absence; he’s familiar with Ben Johnson’s offense, has (relatively) solid chemistry with several of Chicago’s playmakers, has already made several NFL starts, and—as we saw during Sunday’s final drive—is already able to step up and lead the Bears’ offense. His playing time on Sunday came on short notice, so if given a full week of practice, it’s safe to assume that he’ll be well-prepared to fill in under center—for however long he’s needed.
Third, and most importantly, the Bears’ next two games are perfectly-suited for Williams to rest up and recover. While it would be an advantage to have him ready to go for the game against the Eagles, the Bears are already familiar with Nick Sirianni’s squad after beating them on Black Friday last year (and that one was on the road—this year, the game is in Chicago, giving the Bears a further advantage). They won that game by running the ball non-stop, and while they’ll likely have to mix it up offensively, the Bears defense won’t have to contend with Dallas Goedert and will be facing a Saquon Barkley that’s likely less than 100%. In other words, next week is a very winnable game, even without Caleb Williams. Week 4 sees them face the Jets—that’s a game the Bears should win easily, especially at home.
Which brings us to Week 5, on the road in Green Bay. Given both the stakes of that game (the Bears are already 0-1 in the division) and how well the recovery timeline would line up, it’s in the Bears best interest to give their quarterback this entire week off, then ease him back into practice in a limited role starting late next week (i.e., Thursday or Friday) before giving him a full week of practice ahead of the game against Green Bay. Not only would this strategy give Williams enough time to get as healthy as possible, but Bagent is a solid enough quarterback—and the Bears should have enough talent—to go at least 1-1 over the next two weeks. If they can manage that, then once Williams returns (and assuming that he does so in Week 5), it will seem as though he never left.
2: Williams Practices—and Returns—Next Week Against the Jets:
While this scenario certainly is possible, it’s probably not necessary, especially if the Bears want Williams back at 100%. Simply put, the Jets are not a good team—their win was against the Titans, and then they blew a two-score lead to a very underwhelming Packers team. Barring a truly awful performance from Chicago’s offense next week, there’s not really a good reason to try to bring Williams back in time to face a team like the Jets.
That being said, next week is the perfect time to ease him back into practice—whether that’s just in individual drills, or full team drills in a limited capacity. If Williams is able to return to the practice field during Week 4’s prep, there’s still absolutely no pressure whatsoever to have him ready for the game (again, they’re playing the Jets), since him returning at full-strength is the most important thing. Not to mention, it’d be a sign that his recovery is progressing well, which could go a long way in motivating the rest of the team.
3: Williams Returns This Week—in Any Capacity:
Granted, Ben Johnson not yet ruling Williams out for Monday night is a good sign. However, it’s also probably just gamesmanship/misdirection on the part of the Bears, so fans shouldn’t get their hopes up too much.
It’s also a massive risk for Williams to return this week, whether that’s on the practice field or in-game against Philadelphia. Indeed, there’s a chance he aggravates the injury further, turning it into something more serious than a strain—and making the recovery timeline longer. Also, as previously mentioned, the Bears’ situation isn’t anywhere close to being dire at this point in the year, meaning there’s no need to have Williams play purely for the sake of having him play.
That being said, Williams hasn’t yet missed a game in his NFL career, and didn’t miss any in college either—which included playing through a Grade 2 hamstring strain in 2022. In other words, there’s no reason to think that he won’t do everything in his power to return as soon as possible. However, while he might not want to miss a game, unless he genuinely feels (and is operating at) 90% or better by the time Monday night’s pregame rolls around, it’s in the Bears’—and his—best interest to take the time he needs to fully recover.
Simply put; he’ll (hopefully) be back soon, but not that soon.
So there they are, Bears fans; three likely (or at least, most optimistic) timelines for Caleb Williams’ return to action! While we don’t know just how long the Bears will be without “The Iceman”, one thing’s for sure: when he does return, he’ll be just as good as before—in fact, probably even better.
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