Chicago Bears agree to 4-year extension with star guard Kyle Long
The Chicago Bears took a gamble when they drafted Kyle Long. It paid off in a big way, and they rewarded him with a four-year contract extension.
The Bears locked in their star right guard and three-time Pro Bowl lineman through the 2021 season on Wednesday.
According to a report by NFL Network, the deal is worth $40 million with $30 million guaranteed.
It's an important step for a team last in the NFC North at 6-10 in its first season under general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox.
Long is one of seven Bears to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons, a list that includes Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka and Brian Urlacher. With the signing of Josh Sitton on Sunday following his surprise release from Green Bay, Chicago has two elite guards to help protect quarterback Jay Cutler and open holes for running backs.
The moves on the line combined with the overhaul to the front seven on defense have the Bears aiming higher this season, starting with the opener this week at Houston.
"Kyle is extremely talented, a great teammate and more than deserving of this contract," general manager Ryan Pace said. "He is a big piece of the foundation we are building and we only expect him to continue to get better. We are excited to announce this long-term commitment to Kyle."
Long was seen as something of a gamble when former general manager Phil Emery drafted him out of Oregon with the 20th pick in 2013. After all, he had limited experience in college and a history that included a DUI and academic issues that nearly derailed him.
The son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, Kyle Long was drafted in 2008 in the 23rd round as a left-handed pitcher out of high school in Virginia by the Chicago White Sox. He went to Florida State on a baseball scholarship rather than turn pro, lasted one semester because of grades and got a DUI in January 2009. He failed academically at Piedmont Community College in Virginia before heading west to Saddleback Junior College in Southern California.
Long decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and brother Chris, an NFL defensive end, but found he was better suited to block than tackle. And what a blocker he turned out to be.
Despite playing just one season at Oregon and appearing in 11 games, Long quickly blossomed into one a standout lineman and one of the most popular players in Chicago.
Long made the Pro Bowl his first two years as a right guard, and he made it again last season after being switched to right tackle when the Bears cut Jordan Mills just before the opener.
The offseason signing of right tackle Bobby Massie cleared the way for Long to move back inside. And with the addition of Sitton on the left side, the guard spots could be a strength for the Bears for the next few years, barring a position switch or unexpected decline.
There is one concern surrounding Long, a shoulder injury he developed in the second preseason game at New England. It kept him out of practice until Monday. But a healthy and effective Long figures to take the load off Massie and the center - be it veteran Ted Larsen or rookie Cody Whitehair.
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