Bears guard Kyle Long has a tendon injury in his right foot, coach Matt Nagy said Wednesday. The Bears are still weighing whether to put him on Injured Reserve, which would still allow him to return at the very end of the season.
Nagy stuck to his “week-to-week” diagnosis, but it’s clear Long is expected to miss significant time. The Bears could place him on IR with an intent to return him to game action in eight weeks. If the Bears thought he could possibly return sooner, they would keep him on the roster and make him inactive on Sundays.
Long hurt his right foot late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game as the Bears were running out the clock in a 24-10 victory against the Jets.
He was on crutches after the game. Tuesday, he was in a walking boot and on a cart.
Nagy said the injury was not the same as the severe right ankle injury he suffered in 2016. He had surgery then to repair ligament and tendon damage. Long missed the final eight games of that season and the final four games of last season with a shoulder injury. He had three surgeries in the offseason — on his neck, shoulder and elbow.
Long started 55 of his first 56 games, earning three Pro Bowl nods.
