Bears notebook: Kyle Long ‘day-by-day’ with left calf strain

Bears Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long is day-to-day with a strained left calf muscle. But after last year’s experience with Alshon Jeffery’s calf strain — he missed four weeks, including the entire preseason — “out indefinitely” might be a little more accurate.

Long is optimistic. For what it’s worth he appeared to be walking even more freely Friday with the walking boot on his injured leg than Thursday after suffering the injury. But even Bears coach John Fox can’t say when Long will return. And he was sketchy when asked if Long needed an MRI.

“I don’t put time frames [on injuries] because I don’t know, so I can’t tell you,” Fox said after practice Friday at Olivet Nazarene. “We just take it day by day. When our medical people deem him healthy, he’ll be back. But they have all that [including an MRI] at their disposal.”

Injury report

The Bears are being cautious with rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd. The first-round pick (ninth overall) from Georgia missed practice with an illness — even though he was well enough to meet with the media on Thursday.

Besides Long and Floyd, tight end Khari Lee (shoulder), offensive lineman Nick Becton (illness) and linebacker Roy Robertson-Harris (illness) did not practice Friday. Cornerback Brandon Boykin (pectoral strain) and defenisve tackle Terry Williams (should strain) were injured in practice.

Linebacker Pernell McPhee (knee), guard Amini Silatolu (knee) and wide receiver Marquess Wilson (broken foot) still are on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

The heat is on

Conditions were warmer than expected again Friday, which seem to have an effect on some players. Cornerback Bryce Callahan, wide reciever Josh Bellamy and defensive end Ego Ferguson all had issues with cramps.

Bears cut LeCompte

The punter competition was a short one. Ben LeCompte, the undrafted rookie from North Dakota State, was cut after two days of practice.

LeCompte, who grew up in Barrington, thanks the Bears on social media. “Growing up as a kid my biggest dream was to put on a Chicago Bears uniform. It was cut a little short but unfortunately sometimes that’s the business. … Thank you to Chicago and the whole Bears organization for everything. #Beardown.”

Buchholz returns

The Bears re-signed 6-4, 301-pound offensive lineman Dan Buchholz, an undrafted rookie from Duquesne who was cut shortly after signing with the Bears following the draft. Buchholz played tackle at Duqesne but has center capabilities.

Coach Vasher?

Former Bears Pro Bowl cornerback Nathan Vasher and eight-time Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae are working with the Bears as intern coaches as part of the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship program.

“Everybody kind of searches for what they want to do when they retire from the game at a very young age … some have coaching in them; some don’t,” Fox said. “Kevin was a very smart player in his career. He can help in the NFL in the coaching profession.”