Kyle Long‘s comeback tour will see him joining the defending AFC champs. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the veteran offensive lineman is signing with the Chiefs. Long is signing a one-year deal worth up to $5MM.
The 2013 first-round pick had spent his entire seven-year career with the Bears, earning three Pro Bowl appearances and a second-team All-Pro nod in 2014. However, the offensive guard dealt with a long list of injuries between 2016 and 2019, averaging only 7.5 games per season over that four-year span. After being limited to only four games in 2019, Long announced his retirement last offseason. The Bears subsequently declined his option.
We learned earlier this month that the 32-year-old was eyeing a return to the NFL. If he can stay healthy, Long has a good chance of contributing with his new squad. The Chiefs have made revamping Patrick Mahomes‘ offensive line a priority this offseason, and they proved that by giving Joe Thuney a hulking five-year contract. The team was also mentioned as a potential suitor for Trent Williams before he re-signed with the 49ers.
The Raiders were also a suitor for Long’s services, a logical landing spot considering the player’s father, Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long, played his entire 13-year career with the Raiders. However, Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets that Long’s visit with the organization didn’t necessarily go as planned. Some sources told the reporter that Long’s workout “didn’t go that well,” while others told Tafur that the free agent was “freaked out” by the organization’s decision to dump center Rodney Hudson.
“Defensive AFC champs?”
Bears fans punching the air right now. They want a strong offensive line and a competent QB, best Pace can do is Dalton.
Dalton is a competent QB. Hes not elite but he certainly won’t be the reason you lose games.
Strategy seems to be run the ball, play defense.
Dalton was a competent QB, hasn’t been for a few years. He had more weapons in Dallas than the Bears have and stunk, so the Bears decided to overpay him.
Definitely not the answer, but hopefully the reason the Bears fire Pace and Nagy.
No, Dalton is a million miles away from the answer. The franchise will pay for years after Pace is gone for the absolute knucklehead drafting of “Toorisky”. Competence won’t cut it.You have to have elite. And an elite QB is the only road to a Super Bowl.
Having a great team is the way to the super bowl. Foles started and has a super bowl ring. Outside of Brady, More QB’s in rookie deals made the super bowl then “elite” Qb’s who signed extensions
It’s not just getting there. Wilson, Brees, Rodgers, Brady were all vets and all elite. And won. The odds are you’re not getting there and winning without that level of QB. Elite.
Didn’t Rex Grossman take the Bears to the Bowl?
Did the Bears win?
Ehhhh:
QB Brad Johnson
QB Matt Hasslebeck
QB Trent Dilfer
QB McMahon even!
So, yeah, there is always more than one road, but the margins are razor thin and the further away from “elite” you get, obviously, the thinner and sharper those edges are.
I’ll go along with ya on that. I think the point I was driving at was the difference an elite QB can make. There’s a reason why a team like the Bears reportedly offered 3 firsts, a third and two starters for Wilson and were still turned down. Imagine the difference in that team had Pace drafted Watson over Trubisky? That one choice would’ve lifted that whole team.
After Pace and Nagy & should be Phillips also need to go I bet after one year in KC Long will re sign with the Bears . The city he loves