LAKE FOREST, Ill. — No one at Halas Hall has ever doubted Kyle Long’s ability to play offensive tackle — left or right — since he was drafted by the Bears in 2013.
Former general manager Phil Emery made it clear when he drafted Long that the Oregon product could play guard or tackle in the NFL and the old coaching staff chose to play Long at right guard, mainly because former offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer believed in building the offensive line inside-out. Long quickly became a two-time Pro Bowler.
So when the old regime was cleared out of Halas Hall, the obvious question for new general manager Ryan Pace and new head coach John Fox was: Will you keep Long at right guard or move him to tackle, where he could become even more valuable?
So far, Long has remained at guard, but that changed Tuesday when the Bears found themselves without both of their starting offensive tackles — Jermon Bushrod and Jordan Mills — who are banged up with unspecified injuries.
“This is the first two days I’ve been able to get out there and do that,” Long said after Wednesday’s practice. “We had a need in practice. We have a couple guys out so coach asked me. I was a little like a fish out of water, but that’s to be expected.”
Fox has hinted in the past that Long would get a look at tackle at some point and no one should assume that it will be a permanent position switch. Second-year offensive tackle Charles Leno, Jr. would likely be the first to fill in for Mills on the right side, but with Bushrod on the sidelines too, Leno filled in on the left side, which presented the opportunity to get Long a look at right tackle.
“We got a couple guys on the shelf right now, so it’s something we wanted to take a look at,” Fox said. “He’s obviously a very, very capable athlete. He’s got great strength, great athleticism. So I think he’s capable of playing anywhere across the line. Right now he’s a starting guard.”
That last part is important to remember, but a more permanent change in the future wouldn’t be surprising considering Mills has struggled at right tackle. And from Long’s perspective, a successful position switch would likely lead to a higher pay day when his rookie deal expires after the 2016 season.
“When you’re outside on the edge, there’s a lot more space you have to deal with,” Long said. “The athlete you’re playing against changes. There’s a lot of variables you have to deal with.”
But for now, Long is downplaying a potential permanent change to tackle.
“I’ve always felt I could do it but who knows,” he said. “We have guys that play right tackle so we’re going to figure out where we’re going to go. Right now they needed somebody in practice so I jumped at the opportunity.”
Notables
– Tight end Martellus Bennett was still a no-show at this week’s OTAs, as expected. If his contract hold out continues during next week’s mandatory minicamp, the Bears can fine him. Fox said he doesn’t know if Bennett plans on showing up.
– Long said the biggest thing he’s trying to improve is his football IQ. “If there’s five guys (on the offensive line) with a high football IQ, there tends to be less chaos in the backfield,” he said.
– Linebacker Jon Bostic still hasn’t been able to participate in any of the offseason practices due to an ongoing back issue.
– Fox coached new cornerback Tracy Porter in Denver and said Wednesday: “He’s smart enough to (play nickel). He can play all three spots in the sub defenses.”
– Rookie wide receiver Kevin White said things are slowing down for him: “I’m a lot more comfortable. Day 1, everything was happening a lot faster.
– The Notre Dame football team was at Halas Hall Wednesday observing the Bears’ practice.
Adam Hoge covers the Chicago Bears for WGN Radio and WGNRadio.com. He also co-hosts The Beat, weekends on 720 WGN. Follow him on Twitter at @AdamHoge.
