NFL Catchup: Giants Keeping QB Options Open; Bears Still Unsure On Week 3 Starter

Wednesday brought some clarity at quarterback in one building and plenty of uncertainty in others, as teams across the league finalized their injury reports ahead of Week 3. 

The Atlanta Falcons got good news heading into their Thursday night matchup against the Green Bay Packers, while two other franchises are still sorting out who’ll actually take the snaps this weekend.

Tua Tagovailoa is cleared to back up Michael Penix Jr. on Thursday, but the New York Giants are exploring every option at quarterback after losing Jaxson Dart for the season, and the Chicago Bears still don’t know whether Case Keenum, Tyson Bagent or Caleb Williams will start Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Here’s the latest from around the NFL on Wednesday.

With Jaxson Dart out for the season, John Harbaugh made clear the Giants aren’t ruling anything out at quarterback — including a trade for a starter. 

Jameis Winston will run the offense in Week 3 against the Titans, but Harbaugh confirmed the team plans to add another arm to the room, even if he wouldn’t name candidates.

Winston brings experience but hasn’t held a full-time starting job since 2019, and Jake Haener is the only other quarterback New York controls, sitting on the practice squad. 

Tests showed Dart avoided ACL damage, but tears to his MCL, PCL and meniscus will require surgery, with the meniscus the biggest concern — an injury similar to the one that cost Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy his entire 2024 season. 

McCarthy, now buried on Minnesota’s depth chart behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz, has reportedly drawn interest as a trade value given Giants GM Joe Schoen’s familiarity with him from the 2024 draft process. Harbaugh didn’t close the door on Dart returning for a potential postseason run.

Chicago’s quarterback picture remains murky ahead of Monday night’s game against Philadelphia, with Case Keenum, Tyson Bagent and Caleb Williams all in play depending on health. 

Keenum, 38, practiced Wednesday and hasn’t played in a regular-season game since December 2023, but he’s healthy — which is more than can currently be said for the other two. He said he is nervous about possibly starting, but he welcomes the emotions.

“I love the feeling of being nervous. I do get nervous. And it’s not a scared nervous, it’s an excited nervous, because I know I’m prepared. I’m confident in my preparation and what I’ve done. I’m confident in my teammates. I’m confident in their preparation. I’m confident in the game plan and what my coaches have put together.”

Williams is still working back from the hamstring injury that knocked him out of Sunday’s loss to Minnesota, and while he hasn’t been ruled out, caution is expected given how much his mobility factors into his game. 

Bagent, who went 5 of 9 for 54 yards in relief before getting sacked on the final play, was unexpectedly placed in concussion protocol Tuesday with no clear return timeline. 

Coach Ben Johnson said the team has no plans to bring in another quarterback this week, framing the uncertainty as an opportunity for whoever ends up under center.

Tua Tagovailoa is good to go for Atlanta’s trip to Green Bay, and he’ll be doing so as the backup. 

The quarterback was not on the Falcons’ final injury report of the week, and head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated earlier Wednesday that Tagovailoa was trending toward serving behind Michael Penix Jr. for Thursday Night Football.

Tagovailoa was actually slated to start the season opener before an oblique injury suffered during practice week sidelined him, with Cooper Rush filling in for the first two games while Penix worked back from reconstructive knee surgery. 

Now healthy, Tagovailoa slots in as QB2 behind Penix, who’s set to handle starting duties in Week 3.

Carolina is placing running back Jonathon Brooks on injured reserve after he’s set to undergo surgery Wednesday for a core muscle injury, though he’s expected to return later this season. 

The Panthers said Brooks is looking at a minimum six-week recovery after injuring his groin late in Sunday’s win over Atlanta.

“It was a pretty significant groin injury, and we got multiple opinions about what’s the best course of action,” head coach Dave Canales said. “Jonathon’s gonna have surgery to repair the injury, and the timeline of return with surgical or nonsurgical was gonna be similar.”

It’s the latest setback in an injury-plagued career for Brooks, who has played just five of a possible 36 games since being drafted in 2024 due to two ACL tears — one at Texas and one as a rookie. 

With Brooks used sparingly through two games, Chuba Hubbard remains the clear starter, and Carolina is reportedly bringing in veteran Austin Ekeler to fill out the backfield behind him and A.J. Dillon.