LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams feels physically ready to start against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday after missing three games with a right hamstring injury.
Williams is awaiting the final go-ahead from the coaching staff and trainers after going through his first full practice Thursday since he was injured in a 9-3 loss to Minnesota in Week 2.
“I mean, I can move, I can run,” Williams said. “I hit a top speed the other day, one of my high speeds I’ve ever hit and so I can move, I can run, I’ve got strength.
“It’s like I said, just going through the stress test because obviously fibers and things like that in your hamstrings and things like that in your hamstrings and muscles have to connect back together to be able to go out there and play a 60-minute game.”
On Sunday, it will be four full weeks since the injury. Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum both saw time at quarterback as the Bears went 2-1 without Williams.
The third-year QB said even if he plays, his hamstring will not be fully healed.
“A hamstring of any person doesn’t fully heal after three weeks, four weeks, five months,” he said. “It takes a while, but there are certain parameters that allow you to go out there and play. There are certain parameters that clear you to go and lower the risk of reinjuring, and obviously just being smart with it throughout the week. And then obviously in game it’s game and you got to go play, you got to go make plays for the team.”
He couldn’t put a percentage on how steady he feels when he puts pressure on the hamstring.
“We’ll see with this week,” he said. “This week is a big week. Obviously I go through all the cutting and planting and things like that throughout the weeks, or the past couple weeks, and it’s felt good.
“I mean, y’all (reporters) have been able to see me on Friday moving a little bit and then obviously before the Packers game, being able to get out there and move. So, it’s felt good, but it’s different when you got to go through a whole week of practice and then you got to prepare for a game and all of that, the stress of the mind, body and spirit. And so yeah, I think we’ll see how it goes this week.”
Williams injured the hamstring making a cut at the Vikings 6-yard line and went down in obvious pain. The expression on his face and reaction afterward led to ridicule, as some around the league suggested he was overreacting to the injury.
“Yeah, I’m always going to show emotion, especially when I can’t be out there with the guys when something like that happens,” Williams said. “When I went through the draft process, I went to two places and the two places was here and popped over to the Vikings for a visit, as we all know. And they asked me what’s the difference between you and everyone else? It’s because I care about the team, about the organization, winning, being out there, my teammates, all of that.”
Williams said the criticism didn’t necessarily bother him as much as fuel his comeback.
“My character has been attacked since, for a while,” he said. “It’s just another motivating factor when I get out there and get going again.”
Williams is 36 of 55 for 407 yards with two touchdowns, an interception and a 92.0 passer rating. He also has 107 yards rushing and seven first downs, key numbers that kept the chains moving for the Bears.
Offensive coordinator Press Taylor said the team seemed recharged to have Williams back after last week’s 31-7 loss to Green Bay.
“You certainly feel his energy when he’s around,” Taylor said. “He’s got a big personality to begin with. People respond to him, people look to him just as a leader of our team, as a captain, so you sense that from him.”
The Bears are 3-2 and tied with the Lions and Packers, two games behind the unbeaten Vikings in the NFC North.
“I want to be out there and so, you know, it’s frustrating, but I mean we went 2-1 in the time that I was out and we’ll see how this week goes,” he said.
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