Emma: Kyle Long Will Keep Progressing In Tough Tackle Transition
By Chris Emma--
(CBS) Rarely does Bears tackle Kyle Long mince words.
We were reminded of this after Chicago's loss to Washington in Week 14, one of seven defeats on the home soil of Soldier Field, when the Bears' third-year prp didn't hide how he felt about his personal performance.
"I had a really s----y game," Long said.
Without much of a doubt, Long's his own harshest critic.
In that Dec. 13 day, Long was beat around the edge multiple times and had some bad moments, as he did on several occasions this season. At times, 2015 was a struggle, something Long readily admitted in starting fresh as a first-year right tackle.
Late in August, the Bears opted to cut Jordan Mills and experiment with Long at right tackle. The move was made just before Week 1, with Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers and the Packers ready to attack. Long was put in a difficult situation, forced to grow on the fly.
Following two Pro Bowl appearances his first two seasons at right guard, Long didn't receive the recognition in 2015. Clearly, he has a high standard for his own play that he fell short of, but the Bears viewed his work in a positive light.
"He got better as the season progressed with his technique and his hand placement, all those things," Bears general manager Ryan Pace said. "I thought he progressed. He got better. Of course, there are growing pains when anybody switches to a new position. But we were proud of how he handled that and how he got better throughout the season."
As time went on, Long did make strides. While the role of tackle often leaves one out on an island with the top edge rushers in football -- and Long saw plenty of the best this season -- he became a more comfortable, consistent player at the new position.
Even as one to snipe at his own play, Long spoke pleasantly of how he's improved.
"I am feeling like I'm making progress each week," Long said. "I know, sometimes, there are some lowlights that may trump the good things that I've done. But I understand that as a professional, you've got to move on, take the positives with the negatives and try to improve those techniques."
Perhaps one of the few things Long would never say was the tough spot he was put in. Bears coach John Fox wavered on the move of Long to tackle until just before the regular season, creating an uphill battle to learn the role when he could've had several preseason games under his belt there too. In Week 1, Long wasn't viewed as a Pro Bowl player -- the Packers saw him as a vulnerable target.
The Bears could've pressed forward with the move in a more swift manner, but Long never complained. Fellow tackle Jermon Bushrod spoke out about the credit Long would never take for his difficult but admirable team-first move.
"He's grown at tackle," Bushrod said. "That's what I'm very appreciative of -- the way he's grown and handled himself, and dealt with things. Some people deal with things in a different way. I've learned from him. I'm very proud of the way he's grown over the course of the season, being thrown into a situation he wasn't used to."
Added Pace: "I thought he moved a little bit later in the process, which I think was a real testament to him, the teammate that he is -- you know, because that wasn't easy."
The Bears are committed to continuing Long's future at tackle, a decision that was made clear during the 2015 season despite occasional struggles. What Long will receive now is a full offseason of training and preparing for the position, rather than the short timeframe this past season.
On their end, the Bears must decide whether Long will stay at right tackle or move over to the blind-side left tackle position. Factoring into that decision will be how the Bears view Bushrod, Charles Leno and Tayo Fabuluje, plus whether they're intrigued enough to sign or draft a tackle this offseason.
After a difficult transition in 2015, Long moves into an important time of personal growth as he looks to find that Pro Bowl form at tackle.
"Honestly, I don't know (which tackle position) he's going to be," Bushrod said. "I see him as one of the future great offensive linemen to come through this organization."
Long was selected with the Bears' first-round pick in 2013. Then-general manager Phil Emery's surprising selection was considered a reach at the time, with Long a raw player who started just five games at Oregon. He proved early on not to doubt his strong will.
Over time, Long will keep getting better as a tackle. Doubting him would be another mistake.
Chris Emma covers the Chicago sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.
