The Bears will start Tyson Bagent at quarterback against the Panthers on Thursday, coach Matt Eberflus said Wednesday after practice. Justin Fields was a partial participant in practice, but the team listed him as doubtful on the injury report.
“He’s progressing every day; he is not medically cleared yet,” Eberflus said of Fields.
He added that Nathan Peterman will be Bagent’s backup, so Fields has essentially been ruled out despite the “doubtful” designation.
That decision gives Fields another week and a half to recover before the Bears’ ensuing game, which is Nov. 19 at the Lions.
Fields dislocated the thumb on his throwing hand Oct. 15 against the Vikings, and Bagent replaced him. Fields was 6 of 10 for 58 yards with an interception in that game, while Bagent completed 10 of 14 passes for 83 yards with an interception on the way to a 19-13 loss.
Bagent started the next three games, beating the Raiders before losing on the road to the Chargers and Saints. In total, he has completed 67.3% of his passes, thrown for 697 yards and thrown three touchdown passes with six interceptions for a 70.9 passer rating.
Fields has completed 61.7% of his passes, averaged 200.2 yards per game and posted a 91.6 passer rating — all on track for career highs. He has thrown 11 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He also has rushed for 237 yards and a touchdown.
Fields’ numbers are skewed by monster games against the hapless Broncos and Commanders, though. He had a 131.1 passer rating over those two, but just 64.3 in the other four games combined.
Fields threw for the first time since the injury Friday. The Bears did not practice Monday or Tuesday because of the short week, but estimated on the injury report that Fields would’ve been a partial participant.
