Bears make changes in Long's contract with reduced cap

The Chicago Bears have reportedly restructured the contract of offensive lineman Kyle Long to reduce the cap hit this year while ensuring his return for the 2019 season. Long, who was slated to count $8.5 million against the Bears cap this year, tweeted out "Bear for life" on Tuesday.

Long, 30, had three years remaining on his current deal, but the guard agreed to the restructured deal with the team, strapped for cap space heading into free agency, the Chicago Tribune reported. Plagued by injuries, Long played just eight games in 2018 and hasn't played in more than 10 since the 2015 season when he played in all 16.