Bears Exercise 2017 Option On Kyle Long

2:53pm: Long’s fifth-year option will be worth $8.821MM, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com.

2:00pm: The Bears have become the third team to officially exercise a fifth-year option on a 2013 first-rounder, announcing today that they’ve picked up Kyle Long‘s option for the 2017 season (Twitter link). Safety Kenny Vaccaro (Saints) and tight end Tyler Eifert (Bengals) also had their fifth-year options exercised this week.Kyle Long (Vertical)

Long, 27, has been a Pro Bowler in each of his three seasons since entering the league, starting all but one game for the Bears over the last three years. After playing at right guard to start his career, the former 20th overall pick shifted over to right tackle during the 2015 season.

As Pro Football Focus’ data suggests, Long wasn’t quite as effective on the end of the offensive line as he was on the interior, and he figures to return to that familiar right guard spot in 2016. Because offensive linemen receive the same option salary no matter what position they play on the line, Long’s 2017 earnings won’t be affected by the position switch. The fifth-year option salary for offensive linemen in 2016 was $8.07MM, and it figures to be a little higher than that this time around.

The rest of the league’s teams have until May 3rd to exercise fifth-year options on players drafted in the 2013 first round.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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