Kyle Long activated,
Only one player on the Bears roster is longer tenured than Kyle Long, so the team’s move Saturday afternoon to activate the right guard from injured reserve has to be especially meaningful for him with the playoffs fast approaching.
The Bears announced that Long is back on the 53-man roster, making room by placing quarterback Tyler Bray on waivers. The move had been expected because the Bears designated Long to return to practice Dec. 21. Coach Matt Nagy said Long practiced “pretty much” in full this week.
Long is expected to play Sunday against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and he could be in the starting lineup because the team wouldn’t promote him this week and pay 54 players a game check — Bray receives a weekly check because he was on the roster through Tuesday — and not have Long in action.
Bryan Witzmann started seven games while Long recovered from a tendon injury in his right foot and a right ankle injury suffered in the Oct. 28 victory against the Jets at Soldier Field. The Bears placed Long on IR, and Week 17 was the soonest he could be activated to play based on NFL rules.
Conditioning is probably the biggest concern for Long, given he suffered foot and ankle injuries, so he and Witzmann could split time at right guard with the goal to have Long as close to full speed as possible for the first playoff game, which likely will be next weekend. The Bears, the No. 3 seed in the NFC, could move up to No. 2 and earn a first-round bye — but only if they win Sunday and the heavily favored Rams lose to the 49ers.
Cornerback Sherrick McManis is the only player who has been on the roster longer than Long, a first-round draft pick in 2013. This is the first winning season the Bears have had during his six seasons, so postseason action adds to the moment.
“It’s an exciting time, getting ready for another meaningful game with New Year’s coming up,” Long said Friday. “Usually you’re starting to figure out which pipes you’re going to shut off in your house and which ones you have to leave on and which ones you have to check on throughout the winter. But now we’re going to be here for a while.
“Get settled in. Playoffs are coming.”