Williams injured his right hamstring late in the fourth quarter of a 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on September 20 and has missed three straight starts. In his first public comments about the injury on Thursday, Williams said he could move and run, noting he hit a high speed recently and has strength. He described the injury as a hamstring tear and a pretty serious one, though he did not specify a grade. Earlier reports had labeled it a Grade 2 strain, typically a month-long recovery.
Williams returned to limited practice last Friday and participated in an extensive on-field workout in Green Bay before the Bears ruled him inactive. He was estimated as a full participant after Wednesday’s walkthrough and practiced fully on Thursday, moving smoothly through pocket footwork drills while wearing a black sleeve on his right leg, according to reports.
Head coach Johnson indicated Williams is close to returning after the 31-7 loss at Green Bay and said he’s itching to get back as soon as possible. Chicago has not named a replacement should Williams sit; Johnson stated the team has three quarterbacks capable of winning games in the league.
In the upcoming matchup, Chicago (3-2) travels to Atlanta (2-3) for a 1 p.m. ET contest. Atlanta QB Michael Penix Jr. is expected to start after dealing with a rib injury and has said he threw well in practice. The game marks a meeting of two of the league’s top rushing offenses, with Chicago averaging 173.2 rushing yards per game and Atlanta 166.8. Chicago will be without defensive end Montez Sweat, who is serving a two-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy.
Notes:
– Williams has been listed as nearing a return, with ongoing evaluation by the Bears’ medical and coaching staff.
– The Bears’ next opponent after Atlanta is the New England Patriots, with the short turnaround not yet factored into Williams’ timeline.
