Fans of the Chicago Bears and the NFL were given a rare underdog story for the past two weeks. They watched Tyson Bagent go from undrafted NCAA Division II quarterback to working his way to NFL starter.
But he was in place due to Justin Fields being injured with a dislocated right thumb. Is Fields set to miss his third straight game, or is the Bears’ original QB1 set for a return?
Will Justin Fields Start in Week 9?
The Bears could be in for one more week of Bagent.
The team confirmed Friday that Fields made his return to practice. However, he’s still listed as doubtful ahead of the matchup with the New Orleans Saints. Head coach Matt Eberflus was the one who revealed the anticipated status for Fields.
“It’s doubtful right now,” Eberflus said to the Chicago media. “We’re just letting it progress as it goes, and that’s where we put it right now. It’s good to see him throw out there today, for sure.”
Fields has been out of action since needing to leave during the Minnesota Vikings game at Soldier Field on Oct. 15. Fields landed awkwardly on his throwing hand and was taken to the locker room. Bagent got his first NFL snaps and nearly led the Bears to a win over the Vikes, but they fell 19-13. Bagent completed 10 of his 14 passes for 83 yards with one interception.
Since his ailment, how much has Fields progressed to return to the field?
“He’s progressing day-to-day now, so it’s good to see him take that next step in that progression,” Eberflus said. “He was dialed in on the game plan the whole week as he’s been the last couple of weeks.”
MORE: Chicago Bears Depth Chart
What will help decide if Fields is ready to go in New Orleans?
“Just more progression. More working through it. We’ve got a mock game [Saturday], and we’ll go from there. He’s healing up nicely, so that’s good,” Eberflus said.
How is Fields Working Through the Thumb Pain?
In his attempt to return soon, Fields has worked through his ailment through this feature: Wearing a glove on his throwing hand, which is rare for starting quarterbacks unless in cold weather.
“I just use a glove because I don’t have to grip the ball as hard with the glove,” he said to reporters. “So it just makes it easier to throw.”
One determining factor, though, on Fields’ playing status is the grip strength he feels when he grasps the football.
Fields admits that his strength in gripping “is not fully back.” He adds there’s still pain in his thumb.
However, “I’ve been mentally preparing like … I’m going to play, but we’ll see just how it feels Sunday.”
How the Bears Fared With Tyson Bagent Taking Snaps
In Fields’ place was, again, a non-NCAA Division I star.
Bagent began to captivate fans with his trek from little-known Shepherd University. But at Shepherd, he held the rare distinction of being a 3,000, 4,000, and 5,000-yard passer for the Rams.
Bagent further won over Bear fans by leading Chicago to the 30-12 rout of the Las Vegas Raiders. In that contest, Bagent went 21 of 29 for 162 yards and threw one touchdown. He also completed 72.4% of his throws.
The following week, and in front of a nationally televised primetime audience on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, Bagent was given the start against the Los Angeles Chargers. Bagent, however, tasted his first league defeat in the 30-13 loss at SoFi Stadium.
Bagent went 25 of 37 for 232 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. He was even sacked once in the contest.
The Bears are trekking toward their third straight start with Bagent. If so, he’ll be facing a Saints defense that ranks in the top five in yards allowed and is ninth in scoring defense.
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