Long to the Pro Bowl

[CrackerDog]

So we got one after all.

[scs787]

Not so sure it's deserving, but nice to see. He'll have a nice chance to soak in some info and practice with pro bowl OTs.

 

I think this time next year, he'll deserve the nomination as a pro bowl OT.

[madlithuanian]

Agreed. Name recognition alone did this year I think... But, it still is nice.

 

Not so sure it's deserving, but nice to see. He'll have a nice chance to soak in some info and practice with pro bowl OTs.

 

I think this time next year, he'll deserve the nomination as a pro bowl OT.

 

[ChileBear]

Agreed. Name recognition alone did this year I think... But, it still is nice.

I think we should move him to ILB next year, then safety or CB the next. LMAO He is just a football athlete. So glad he wears blue and orange.

[scs787]

I think we should move him to ILB next year, then safety or CB the next. LMAO He is just a football athlete. So glad he wears blue and orange.

 

Wouldn't be shocked if he was a damn good DE. Lol

[madlithuanian]

Wasn't there some talk we might need a new TE? Tackle eligible!

 

Wouldn't be shocked if he was a damn good DE. Lol

 

[AZ54]

Congrats to Kyle! This should end all debate about where he plays next season, unless we're talking about a move to the left side. I'd keep him where he is as teams no longer have their dominant pass rushers always coming from RDE spot. Besides that, it seemed the more speed he faced the more he struggled.

[adam]

Good to see at least one of our players be recognized. I think the offseason will drive more where Long ends up than anything else.

[jason]

Congrats to Kyle! This should end all debate about where he plays next season, unless we're talking about a move to the left side. I'd keep him where he is as teams no longer have their dominant pass rushers always coming from RDE spot. Besides that, it seemed the more speed he faced the more he struggled.

 

What do you mean? Surely you agree this was a name recognition award. Surely you saw the fact that he wasn't great this year. He was average as a RT.

 

I think if either of the top two OTs are available at 11, Long should go back to RG where he was a legit pro bowl player.

[killakrzydav]

I thought that most of the boards consensus was that Long stunk as a tackle this year. Surely there is a more deserving player.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

I thought that most of the boards consensus was that Long stunk as a tackle this year. Surely there is a more deserving player.

Long started off the season playing great, maybe probowl consideration. He did fall off late in the year also. Could of been due to injury, the shuffle at RG, or when MB went down. Hard to pin point, but at one point he played well.

[CrackerDog]

Long started off the season playing great, maybe probowl consideration. He did fall off late in the year also. Could of been due to injury, the shuffle at RG, or when MB went down. Hard to pin point, but at one point he played well.

 

You're correct. I recall someone posting some stats that he graded out as the #1 tackle at some point early in the season.

 

With that said, I'm with Jason. If we can find a solid tackle in the draft or FA I'd move Long back inside. IN A HEARTBEAT.

[AZ54]

What do you mean? Surely you agree this was a name recognition award. Surely you saw the fact that he wasn't great this year. He was average as a RT.

 

I think if either of the top two OTs are available at 11, Long should go back to RG where he was a legit pro bowl player.

 

 

Coaches already came out and said he'll be staying there. I think this just validates that. If not in our eyes, at least in theirs.

[jason]

Coaches already came out and said he'll be staying there. I think this just validates that. If not in our eyes, at least in theirs.

 

 

I don't really think that's legit. This validates the coaches move because there is nobody else on the rest of the roster who can even sniff the probowl at their current abilities. Just because he got selected to a popularity contest doesn't mean the move to OT was a great move, just that Long is popular and has name recognition. The move may stay as is, or it could be a draft smokescreen, but it doesn't validate him as some kind of stud at the position. And it's not just my eyes...most don't think he played pro bowl caliber this year.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I don't really think that's legit. This validates the coaches move because there is nobody else on the rest of the roster who can even sniff the probowl at their current abilities. Just because he got selected to a popularity contest doesn't mean the move to OT was a great move, just that Long is popular and has name recognition. The move may stay as is, or it could be a draft smokescreen, but it doesn't validate him as some kind of stud at the position. And it's not just my eyes...most don't think he played pro bowl caliber this year.

I don't think Long getting selected at this point had anything to do with a popularity contest. Wasn't this a coaching decision? And I'm pretty sure whomever picked him has no legitimate reason to do anything to "make the Bears coaches look good". And I think we need to define who "most" were. Are we talking about posters here or actual football experts / analyst. Outside of some struggles late in the season (when he was battling injuries), the consistent message I heard was how he kept getting better and was doing a good job. In fact, for most of the season, the general impression from game calls to commentary from football people was overall being very impressed with what Long was able to do with such little experience / practice leading up to it.

 

I think everyone would admit the final couple games of the season were poor, but the overall body of work was probably better than I could have ever expected given how last minute a shift it was. And I don't think the Bears coaches are doing this as a smoke screen and if they were, I'm pretty sure you'd be the first to complain about how they keep screwing with Long. Reality is, they reached a decision very quickly on where "they" thought long was best fit for the franchise and communicated it to him so he can put in all the work necessary to take the next step to being an above average / all pro player at the tackle position (which is his goal and the Bears clearly have made it clear they think he's fully capable of it).

[jason]

I don't think Long getting selected at this point had anything to do with a popularity contest. Wasn't this a coaching decision? And I'm pretty sure whomever picked him has no legitimate reason to do anything to "make the Bears coaches look good". And I think we need to define who "most" were. Are we talking about posters here or actual football experts / analyst. Outside of some struggles late in the season (when he was battling injuries), the consistent message I heard was how he kept getting better and was doing a good job. In fact, for most of the season, the general impression from game calls to commentary from football people was overall being very impressed with what Long was able to do with such little experience / practice leading up to it.

 

I think everyone would admit the final couple games of the season were poor, but the overall body of work was probably better than I could have ever expected given how last minute a shift it was. And I don't think the Bears coaches are doing this as a smoke screen and if they were, I'm pretty sure you'd be the first to complain about how they keep screwing with Long. Reality is, they reached a decision very quickly on where "they" thought long was best fit for the franchise and communicated it to him so he can put in all the work necessary to take the next step to being an above average / all pro player at the tackle position (which is his goal and the Bears clearly have made it clear they think he's fully capable of it).

 

The bolded part is not being debated. He DID do well for someone with such limited experience/practice, but he didn't do "pro bowl RT" well.

 

I wouldn't be upset with the smokescreen. I'd be happy because he WOULDN'T be getting screwed with; he'd be getting moved back to his actual position. The position where he dominated. The position where it was nearly irrefutable he was a pro bowler. Plain and simple, that's what it comes down to. Nearly everyone recognized his brilliance as an OG. Nearly nobody thought that at OT.

[AZ54]

I don't really think that's legit. This validates the coaches move because there is nobody else on the rest of the roster who can even sniff the probowl at their current abilities. Just because he got selected to a popularity contest doesn't mean the move to OT was a great move, just that Long is popular and has name recognition. The move may stay as is, or it could be a draft smokescreen, but it doesn't validate him as some kind of stud at the position. And it's not just my eyes...most don't think he played pro bowl caliber this year.

 

 

 

 

You might want to read my posts from a couple weeks back where I said I wanted to move Long back to RG where he can dominate the LOS and find a FA to play RT. FWIW I'm still upset the coaches didn't consult with me on this, not even so much as a courtesy call from Ryan Pace. If that is in fact their decision I still think his Pro Bowl selection will validate it in their eyes (not mine), and I think it ends the debate for them.

 

 

 

 

[jason]

You might want to read my posts from a couple weeks back where I said I wanted to move Long back to RG where he can dominate the LOS and find a FA to play RT. FWIW I'm still upset the coaches didn't consult with me on this, not even so much as a courtesy call from Ryan Pace. If that is in fact their decision I still think his Pro Bowl selection will validate it in their eyes (not mine), and I think it ends the debate for them.

 

I know you're joking, but I hope the coaches are smart enough to realize he was dominant at OG, not dominant at OT, and that the PB replacement shouldn't really validate the move for Long, but, instead, validate that it was the best thing for the team at the time.

 

If they're not smart enough to realize Long OG is way better than Long OT, then we have way too much faith in this staff.

[AZ54]

I know you're joking, but I hope the coaches are smart enough to realize he was dominant at OG, not dominant at OT, and that the PB replacement shouldn't really validate the move for Long, but, instead, validate that it was the best thing for the team at the time.

 

If they're not smart enough to realize Long OG is way better than Long OT, then we have way too much faith in this staff.

 

Joking? You don't think I want Ryan Pace to consult with me?

 

If he ever does, I'll put in a good word for you.

[Alaskan Grizzly]

I'm going to stick my snoot in here and suggest one additional thought. Remember when Long was being considered during the draft and how most analysts weren't sure what to think of Long as an olineman? And that our taking him in the 1st round was risky? Well that's due to his only playing Oline since 2011 with the Ducks. Two years before the Bears drafted him. As someone else suggested here I'm in agreement that Kyle could just about play most positions on the team as he's a true athlete. (I mean it's odd that both his dad and brother play(ed) defense with great success and he's on O). Something tells me the team may in fact feel they're legitimate in considering him at OT and after a full offseason with a chance to practice and learn; who knows maybe they're right?