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The Kansas City Chiefs signed veteran OL Kyle Long out of retirement this offseason, but he hasn’t played a snap this season due to an injury suffered during OTAs. He started the 2021 NFL season on the Reserve/PUP list as a result.
According to the NFL’s official personnel notice, the Chiefs have designated Long to begin practicing this week. He has been permitted to attend team meetings and rehab at team facilities, but after sitting out for the first nine weeks of the season, he’ll now be back on the practice fields.
Long remains on the Reserve/PUP list, but this move opens up a 21-day practice window. He can now practice with the team and if they deem him healthy enough, he can be activated as early as this week. If he isn’t activated during the newly-opened practice window, the team would have to choose between sending Long to injured reserve or releasing him from his contract.
Long’s return comes at the perfect time for Kansas City with injuries to both right tackles Mike Remmers and Lucas Niang. The 32-year-old veteran played most of his career at right guard, but started a full 16-game season at right tackle with the Chicago Bears in 2015, earning a Pro Bowl selection that season. Should the Chiefs be without Remmers and Niang for any stretch of time, Long is someone who could fill in at that position for Kansas City.
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