The Chicago Bears were technically off on Monday, though head coach Ben Johnson and players Drew Dalman and Nick McCloud did meet with the media. Moreover, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was the subject of a commonplace comparison, albeit one with several noteworthy differences.
It was still an active day for the Bears despite their not practicing, with mixed news throughout. They announced even more unfortunate injury news.
Finally, the rest of the NFC North also made waves to close out Week 8.
Caleb Williams Comparisons, Injury Woes & More Bears News
Caleb Williams Compared to Jared Goff
The Athletic’s Mike Sando examined Williams in comparison to Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff through as many games under Johnson. Sando’s findings put Williams right on par with his NFC North rival.
However, one critical area suggests that the star turn Goff took could elude Williams.
“Williams has now arrived at the point where Johnson’s past partnership with Jared Goff in Detroit began ascending to career-altering heights,” Sando wrote on October 27.
“Williams’ elevated average time to throw — a league-most 3.06 seconds — calls into question his ability to play on time consistently. Are the highs from his off-schedule plays high enough and frequent enough for the Bears to come out ahead? So far, not so much.”
Sando cited an anonymous coach who questioned Williams’ “progress” in the “moment of truth.”
“I have not seen a ton of improvement from Caleb Williams,” an anonymous evaluator from a rival team said, per Sando. “I see a guy reluctant to fall into the confines of a system, who has a big arm and enough athletic ability to exploit coverage with his legs. You get the flash plays, but you get the frustration with the inconsistency. It’s hard to win games when you play like that.”
Williams’ interception on a pass intended for Rome Odunze against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8 was used as an example in the article.
Notably, Williams said he made the right read on the play, but threw Odunze a poor ball.
However, Johnson said after the game that he would have liked to see Williams take the checkdown to running back Kyle Monangai. Presented with a second opportunity to offer his take, Johnson simply reiterated that Williams should have taken the checkdown.
Still, Sando admits in the article that Goff was a Pro Bowler who was well-versed in a timing-based offense by the time Johnson became the OC in Detroit.
They also had a year in the organization together before Johnson became OC, and much of the 2025 roster was in place.
Johnson said that he did see progress from Williams against the Ravens, citing his efficiency early on and explosiveness in the passing game. However, he also said that Williams missed some throws that should be automatic at this point in the season. He added that they will continue to work through that process.
Bears Get 1 DL Back, Lose 2 More
Johnson told reporters on Monday that the Bears would activate defensive end Austin Booker off injured reserve for Week 9. The Bears are visiting the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bears opened his practice window, and he has participated fully in practice for multiple weeks.
However, the Bears erred on the side of caution and left the intriguing second-year fifth-round draft pick on IR. They had until Tuesday to make a decision or lose Booker to IR for the season.
His return could not have come at a better time for the Bears.
Johnson also announced that rookie defensive lineman Shemar Turner, the No. 62 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. Dominique Robinson, a fifth-rounder in 2022, will also miss multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain.
They just got defensive tackle Grady Jarrett back from a two-game absence, but depth was already an issue for the NFL’s 27th-ranked run defense.
Their top three corners, Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, and Tyrique Stevenson, are also injured.
Gordon and Johnson are on IR with groin injuries, and neither has a definitive timeline for their return. Terell Smith (IR) has been out since the summertime. Their secondary issues were magnified by their lack of consistent pressure up front.
Those will most likely intensify unless the Bears can find some way to replace the supporting efforts of Robinson short-term and Turner for the remainder of the campaign.
Vikings Lose QB for Rest of Season
While the Bears have quarterback issues, the Minnesota Vikings are running out of options in-house. Starter J.J. McCarthy has not played since Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, but he returned to practice to begin Week 9.
However, his fill-in, Carson Wentz, is now out for the season.
Wentz underwent season-ending shoulder surgery, leaving undrafted rookie free agent Max Brosmer as the only other passer on their roster.
McCarthy and the Vikings beat Williams and the Bears in Chicago on “Monday Night Football” in the regular season opener. He rallied Minnesota from a double-digit deficit, accounting for 21 fourth-quarter points.
The Bears and Vikings will face off again in Minnesota in Week 11.