Kyle Long is taking one for the team, and the Chicago Bears will immediately reap the benefits. The three-time Pro Bowler has agreed to a restructured contract that won't only keep him in the Windy City long-term, but also affords the Bears $2.9 million of additional cap space to spend in free agency next month, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The team subsequently confirmed the news of Long's new contract. He also posted on twitter Tuesday morning, before this development was reported, that he is now a “Bear for life.”

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The 6-foot-6, 316-pounder has been a fixture along Chicago's offensive line ever since the team took him with the 20th overall pick of the 2013 NFL draft. He started all 16 games at right guard as a rookie, becoming the first player in team history to do so in the Super Bowl era, and he was named to the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement after San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati was hurt in the playoffs.

Long would go on to earn Pro Bowl berths in each of the next two seasons, including as a tackle in 2015, missing just one game. Health began taking its toll on him during the 2016 season, though, shortly after he signed a four-year, $40 million extension with the Bears that was set to run through 2021.

Long fought through a shoulder injury over the first half of the season before suffering ligament damage in his right ankle on November 10th and being placed on injured reserve. He played 10 games in 2017 and just eight games a season ago due to a right foot injury he sustained in an October 28th loss to the New York Jets.

Long, 30, is the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long, and the son of Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Howie Long.