The Chicago Bears added another quarterback to their plans for Sunday, signing Miller Moss to the practice squad and elevating him to the active roster as insurance behind starter Caleb Williams.
Backup Tyson Bagent has a back injury and did not practice after Tuesday. The Bears listed him as questionable Friday, and the decision to bring Moss aboard suggests Bagent will not dress against the Carolina Panthers.
Bagent is still traveling with the team to Charlotte, North Carolina. That does not change the picture much. He sat out the rest of the week after the team first noted the back problem on Wednesday, an off day.
Coach Ben Johnson said Friday the Bears would be “fine” if they had to turn to veteran Case Keenum as the No. 2 quarterback. Keenum has thrown just 60 passes in regular-season games since the end of the 2021 season.
If Bagent is inactive, Moss would serve as the emergency third quarterback. The undrafted rookie spent training camp with Chicago after signing following the draft.
Moss began his college career at USC, where he played with Williams, before transferring to Louisville for the 2025 season. He completed 244 of 380 passes for 2,679 yards and 16 touchdowns last year while helping the Cardinals finish 9-4. He also started nine games in his final season at USC and threw 18 touchdown passes.
Bagent missed the Bears’ preseason game against Cincinnati and the joint practices that week after hurting his hamstring in the opener. He returned and played well in the preseason finale, but the back issue surfaced as the regular season arrived.
The Bears also elevated wide receiver Kaden Davis from the practice squad. Davis stood out in training camp and the preseason, catching five passes for 93 yards, including four receptions for 88 yards against Cleveland.
Davis entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Northwest Missouri State in 2022. He has appeared in three regular-season games, all with Cleveland in 2024 and 2025. He has also returned kickoffs, averaging 33.8 yards on four career attempts.
To open a practice-squad spot for Moss, Chicago released safety Keidron Smith. Standard elevations return both Moss and Davis to the practice squad after the game, per league rules.
NFL teams must submit injury updates and roster moves before departing for the airport. The Bears completed those steps Saturday morning at Halas Hall before flying south.
Sunday’s game is the season opener for both clubs at Bank of America Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Eastern. Chicago is a three-point favorite.
Williams threw for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns last season while leading the Bears to an 11-6 record, the NFC North title and their first playoff win since 2010. The Panthers also won their division in 2025.
Johnson has described his team’s practices this week as closer to championship level than a year ago. The quarterback depth chart is one of the few areas that still looks unsettled heading into Week 1.
Moss gives the staff a familiar arm who already knows parts of the playbook from camp. Davis gives the receivers room another body who produced when given chances in August.
Whether either player sees the field Sunday remains to be seen. The moves show the Bears are preparing for the possibility that Bagent cannot go.
