Kyle Long could be gone before Bears' 2019 season even ends

Kyle Long started out 2019 with such hope. He was finally recovered from all the surgeries he'd endured over the past few years. He didn't need any restrictions when practicing. Hell, he didn't even have to take veteran days off. It felt like he was ready to regain his status as one of the top guards in the NFL. Sadly, that never came to pass. Long's body again started to break down when the season began. He missed a game against Minnesota with hip issues and even though he tried to gut it out the next week in London, it was clear something wasn't right.

So the team decided to deactivate him. Long was placed on injured reserve and Matt Nagy indicated without any misdirection that there was little chance the 31-year old would be returning this year. That offers an indication of how serious the health issues are. It also is a sad piece of evidence that Long's tenure in Chicago may have come to a close. Most believe that the team will likely choose to move on from him during the 2020 offseason.

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes the team may not even wait until then.

"Long is not going to be designated to return from injured reserve, so he will not suit up again for the team this season. He’s under contract through the 2020 season, but I expect the Bears to release him well before then. In fact, it’s possible that the Bears will release him from injured reserve in the coming days. He was an outstanding player at the start of his career, representing the team in three consecutive Pro Bowls, before multiple injuries took a major toll on his ability. The NFL is a brutal business, and Long did well to get paid."

Kyle Long deserves more respect than that

Technically, Biggs is correct. The Bears are free to release Long at their leisure, likely with an injury settlement if they wish. However, the odds of that happening feel remote. While his release does appear inevitable, to do so midway through the season? That would be a show of terrible disrespect. Something totally unbefitting a player of his stature who gave so much to the organization through some truly dark times. The least the organization can do is let him remain part of the team the entire year, if only in spirit.

In truth, there isn't much of a reason for the team to dump him. He's not occupying an active roster spot and they aren't hard-pressed for money to make any sort of big moves. The Bears have been good about treating their veterans right during the Ryan Pace era. That shouldn't change this year. Not unless something notable compels them to do so.