Bears' Kyle Long Gets Reps At Right Tackle In OTAs

(CBS) Because of Kyle Long's athleticism, frame and early career success, it's long been speculated that his long-term future may lie at tackle for the Bears instead of right guard, where he's been a Pro Bowler in his first two NFL seasons.

At organized team activities this week, the Bears have begun getting a look at that possibility.

The 6-foot-6, 311-pound Long has been taking reps at right tackle the past two days, he said Wednesday. The move wasn't so much an indication of what's ahead so much as it was to fill a need with regular right tackle Jordan Mills absent, but Long was happy to do what was needed when coach John Fox asked.

"We had a couple guys out, so coach asked me and I went out there," Long said. "I was a little like a fish out of water, but that's to be expected.

"When you're inside, you have a guy on either side of you to help with protection and assignment stuff. When you're out on the edge, there's a lot more space you have to deal with, the type of athlete you're playing against changes. So there's a lot of variables that play into it. Just trying to get better at as many things as I can as a football here to be able to help the team."

Fox made clear that Long is a starting guard for the Bears, but he also had high praise for him.

"I don't get into what-ifs," 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, really, across the line. Right now he's a starting guard, and we're out here trying to get better as a football team, learn a new system. We have a shortage of tackles right now.

"We move guys around all the time. In this league, especially on game day, you typically go into a game with seven linemen. You got to be ready for multiple position changes. we've got a couple guys on the shelf right now, and it's something we wanted to take a look at."

At this point, Long doesn't have a preference or expectation of playing tackle.

"I'm so near-sighted I can't really think past today or this week," he said. "I've always thought I could do it, but who knows. We have guys that play right tackle, so we're going to figure out from that standpoint where we're going to go. But right now they needed somebody in practice, so I jumped at the opportunity."