75 Days Until Chicago Bears 2017 Season Kicks Off: Kyle Long Profile
By Julian Green
The Bear Goggles On Countdown to Kickoff series is now underway. With 75 days to go until the Bears season kicks off we will highlight the Bears player that is wearing number 75, Offensive Lineman, Kyle Long.
2016 Season Review
After being a dominant Pro Bowler in his first three years (including one 2nd Team All-Pro selection), Kyle Long started to show signs of mortality in 2016. The Bears rewarded their best player for his services with a 4-year extension in September. While a move back to the interior guard position for Long was supposed to help the team win in the trenches, things did not go as planned.
While Long played pretty well through the first 10 weeks of the season, he battled through a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Strained triceps also caused Long to miss Week 8 entirely. The leader of the locker room was then carted off the field in mid November, and then was put on injured reserve two days later with a broken ankle.
Long spent the rest of the year beginning to recover from surgery on his right ankle. The Bears were missing the vocal leader of the team and also their most dominant player. While 2016 did not go as planned, Long should be able to make a return to being a high caliber player again in 2017.
2017 Outlook
It is easy to find updates on the recovery of the Bears’ guard, just head over to his twitter feed. Although he missed all of the Bears’ OTA’s, Long recently tweeted that he began explosive movements on his surgically repaired ankle.
While Long’s workouts are ramping up, his status for training camp remains uncertain. When the Bears begin their 2017 journey July 26th, it should not be too long before they expect to see Long back on the field. While his injury was a setback and very serious, Long should be able to return to his status as a pro bowl level player.
A move to the left guard position might be on the horizon, as rumors have been that Kyle and the current LG Josh Sitton will switch sides in 2017. Kyle has showed the ability to play well at multiple positions. He played well at right tackle in 2015, and the switch to guard should be an even smoother transition.
Future With The Bears
Although he was held back by injuries in 2016, Kyle Long was still a good player. If there is any silver lining, it is that broken bones usually heal better than a tear of a ligament would. Long should have no problem returning to peak physical form.
With the extension he received from the team last fall, Long is under contract through the 2021 season. He quickly became a leader after being drafted in 2013 and is one of the most respected players on the team. He is expected to continue this role, while helping the Bears return to the top of the NFC.