The Bernstein Brief: It's Good To See Kyle Long At Tackle
By Dan Bernstein--
CBSChicago.com senior columnist
(CBS) They won't say much about it, but the new Bears coaches seem to see what many of us have in Kyle Long, and that has been a tackle playing guard.
As powerful and athletic as the 26-year-old Long is at 6-foot-6 and 311 pounds, the two-time Pro Bowler and 2014 second team All-Pro would seem a natural fit on the edge, and it's heartening to know that the new eyes on this roster could have that kind of common sense, as Long has been taking reps at right tackle recently in OTAs.
We were told previously that former offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer preferred Long's strength and size on the interior of the line, but tackle is more important in the NFL, and coach John Fox seems aware enough of that to at least begin this experiment before training camp. He wouldn't make any firm commitment to the move -- all parties at this point mentioning that it was in part due to injuries at the position -- but didn't deny anything, either.
Long is something still too rare on the Bears, one of the league's best at his position. Allowing him the chance to matter even more is a very good idea.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's "Boers and Bernstein Show" in afternoon drive. Follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.
