Las Vegas Raiders need to bring home a legacy in Kyle Long
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders now have issues upfront along the offensive line, and they could bring home a legacy to fill a void or two in Kyle Long.
This offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders have reshuffled the deck up front along the offensive line, getting rid of three starters from Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season. Gabe Jackson and Richie Incognito were released, and Trent Brown was traded away, leaving them with some gaping holes in front of Derek Carr.
To be fair, this is a group that barely played together last season due to injuries and COVID, so hitting the reset button may not be such a bad thing. They may restructure with either Jackson or Incognito, but if they do go a completely different route, one name stands out as a possible replacement for either of the three.
Kyle Long, formerly of the Chicago Bears, is coming out of retirement, and according to his brother, Chris, he is ripped, healthy, and ready to go. For the Raiders, that would mean bringing a legacy home, as he is the son of eight-time Pro Bowler Howie Long, who carved out a Hall of Fame career with the Silver and Black.
Kyle Long is a perfect fit for the Las Vegas Raiders
Due to his versatility, Long would be an outstanding fit with the Raiders, and he plays with the kind of nastiness that is expected when you put on a Raiders uniform. He has the experience and has played at a high level at both guard and tackle, and if he is healthy, there is no reason why he cannot round back into the form that made him such an incredible talent early in his career.
Before injuries riddled his career from 2016 through 2020, Long was actually a Pro Bowl player, making the Pro Bowl as a guard in 2013 and 2014, and then as a right tackle in 2015.
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Sure, Long has said he would go back to the Bears this offseason, but what if Howie gets in his ear and tells him to go put on the Silver and Black. It would be outstanding to see another Long wearing the No. 75, and based on the Raiders’ needs upfront along the offensive line, he would certainly be a welcome addition.