Daniels likely starts again as Mayfield, Jackson, Williams near return

Bears face Week 6 without suspended Sweat

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 56m1 min read

From @gmfb: Baker Mayfield badly wants to return for the #Buccaneers but odds are it’ll be Jalon Daniels at QB for one m Via @MikeGarafolo on X

What happened: Tampa Bay is trending toward Jalon Daniels at quarterback for one more week as Baker Mayfield pushes to return. Lamar Jackson and Caleb Williams are progressing toward returns for Baltimore and Chicago. Chicago will play without Montez Sweat while his suspension continues.

Why it matters: Another Daniels start preserves continuity for Tampa Bay after weeks of quarterback change. Baltimore and Chicago regain their offensive structure if Jackson and Williams clear the final step. Chicago must replace a starting edge rusher with Sweat sidelined.

By the numbers: Mayfield completed 343 of 543 passes for 3,693 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 17 games in 2025. Williams completed 330 of 568 passes for 3,942 yards with 27 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 17 games in 2025. Jackson completed 192 of 302 passes for 2,549 yards with 21 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 13 games in 2025. Daniels enters as a rookie from Kansas. Sweat forfeits $2.3M during a 2-game suspension, with $12.7M remaining on 2026 salary.

What to watch: Practice designations later this week will clarify Sunday availability for the three quarterbacks. Final inactive lists will confirm Chicago's edge rotation without Sweat.

Sources

@MikeGarafolo 2026-10-14T13:31:32.333580+00:00

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NFLInjuryBaltimore RavensChicago BearsTampa Bay BuccaneersBaker MayfieldCaleb Williams

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