3-Time Pro Bowl OL Kyle Long to Return to NFL After Sitting Out 2020 Season

Veteran offensive lineman Kyle Long is coming out of retirement, according to Macon Gunter of the Green Light podcast.

Long announced in January 2020 he was stepping away for health reasons:

The 32-year-old was a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons but then missed 34 games from 2016 to 2019.

Long recently shared videos from one of his workouts, which carry a different context following Tuesday's news:

Because of his persistent injury troubles, the 2013 first-round pick might have to settle for a short-term deal. And even if he stays healthy in 2021, nobody can say for sure if he'll get back to a Pro Bowl level after taking a year off.

Teams looking to strengthen the interior have options, too:

Having made a clean break with the league, Long will be a free agent once he makes his return official. In terms of his potential landing spots, you can probably write off a reunion with the Chicago Bears:

The league's salary-cap climate could work to Long's benefit.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 cap will be lower after hitting $198.2 million for 2020. General managers will have to make every dollar count. Depending on how high his price climbs, Long could be a sensible gamble.