The Chicago Bears have signed rookie first-round pick Kyle Long to a four-year deal with an option for a fifth, according to the team's official Twitter account. Long, an offensive guard out of Oregon, was the No. 20 overall pick in the NFL draft.
Bears sign 1st-round pick Kyle Long to 4-year deal
The Chicago Bears completed the signing of their 2013 NFL Draft haul on Friday night, signing Kyle Long to a four-year deal.
David Banks
Chicago has now signed its entire draft class. Jon Bostic, the team’s second-round pick, signed back on May 9, leaving Long as the only remaining unsigned player.
There’s not a whole lot of significance to getting the rookies signed so early, but given that the Bears also were the first team to sign any of their draft picks, it’s a sign that general manager Phil Emery likes to work quickly.
The Bears recently wrapped up their rookie minicamp, during which Long was said to have impressed. He played left guard in college, but lined up on the right side -- Chicago’s biggest area of need -- during the minicamp. As noted by Windy City Gridiron, Long needed to have a strong minicamp due to the fact that he’ll be absent for the rest of the team’s offseason activities until June 14.
Oregon operates on a quarters system, and finals don’t conclude until June 14, which is one day after the last day of Chicago’s full-team minicamp. An NFL rule prohibits rookies from participating in OTAs and minicamps, sans the initial rookie minicamp, until classes end. So Long may be behind the curve when it’s all said and done, but with his contract now in place, at least the team doesn’t have to worry about getting a deal done anymore.
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