LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - The Chicago Bears are in wait-and-see mode with Kyle Long.
Coach Matt Nagy said Monday that Long remains in the evaluation process and he hopes to know more in the next day or two after the offensive lineman left Chicago’s 24-10 victory over the New York Jets with a right foot injury.
The 29-year-old Long was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 2013 draft and made the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. But he was hampered by injuries in each of the previous two years, resulting in right ankle surgery following the 2016 season and operations on his shoulder, elbow and neck after he was shut down late last year.
“For him to go through what he’s gone through the last couple years with injuries, you feel for the guy,” said Nagy, who is in his first season with the Bears.
“Like I said, he’s been doing really well. Since our first day together in OTAs he’s been a constant leader. He’s very engaged in meetings. He’s just really done things the right way.
“So right now, we’re hoping that it’s good news. But we won’t know here for a little bit.”
Long got hurt when tight end Dion Sims rolled into him while the two were blocking for Jordan Howard on a run in the fourth quarter. Nagy said it’s a foot injury and not an aggravation of his previous trouble with his right ankle.
“It’s one of those ones that could be a little time, but I don’t know if it’s necessarily season-ending,” he said.
Long’s injury put a damper on an important victory for Chicago (4-3), which had dropped two in a row.
Minnesota, Green Bay and Detroit all lost Sunday, putting the Bears back on top of the congested NFC North.
While awaiting word on Long, Nagy said they were working on contingency plans for this weekend’s trip to Buffalo. Eric Kush and Bryan Witzmann are two possibilities to step in at right guard.
Kush missed the win over New York with a neck injury, but is expected to play against the Bills. Witzmann signed with Chicago three weeks ago and made 13 starts for Kansas City last season while Nagy was the offensive coordinator for the Chiefs.
Star linebacker Khalil Mack and wide receiver Allen Robinson also could return this weekend. Mack, who has five sacks and four forced fumbles in his first season with the Bears, sat out against the Jets with a right ankle injury, missing a game for the first time since Oakland drafted him with the fifth overall pick in 2014.
“I’m hoping this week it grows and it gets better, but I’m gonna stay cautious with it always and we together are always gonna talk through it,” Nagy said.
Robinson has been hampered by a groin injury. He has 25 receptions for 285 yards and two touchdowns in six games after signing a $42 million, three-year contract with Chicago in free agency.
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