The Chicago Bears had to have seen the writing on the wall. Something just wasn’t right. Kyle Long looked like a shell of the player he was a few years ago. He couldn’t move like he used to. Average defensive linemen were easily driving him back into the lap of the quarterbacks. He couldn’t generate any sort of push in the ground game. It was difficult to watch. The guy had to be hurting more than he was letting on. As it turns out, that is indeed the case.
Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network both revealed that the Bears reached the decision to place Long on injured reserve. It’s uncertain if this is for the season or if they plan to bring him back in eight weeks. Either way they are no longer letting this thing play out. He’s being shut down until he is healthy. Either way, this is the fourth-straight season that Long has ended up on IR. A terrible string of health luck that has ruined a once-promising career.
Kyle Long may not survive into 2020 for the Bears
The immediate future comes down to two options for the Bears. Either veteran Ted Larsen will fill that starting role or intriguing youngster Rashaad Coward. Larsen would seem like the logical choice giving his previous starting experience. However, he’s been dealing with a knee injury since the game against Minnesota. So his health is in question too. Coward, in the brief appearance he made during that same game, actually looked fairly capable. He moved well in space and stood up in pass protection.
Long-term? It feels like this might be the final chapter for Long in Chicago. He turns 32-years old in 2020 and commands a contract that is becoming more and more overpriced by the minute. The Bears may feel, with plenty of justification that the time is right for them to send him on his way and go hunting for help at guard next offseason. It would be a rough way for Long’s time with the Bears to end after how much pain he played through for years, but that is the harsh reality of the NFL. Teams won’t wait for you forever.
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If he is indeed cut, the Bears would recoup $8.1 million in salary cap space.
