The Rams may be moving to Los Angeles without one of their long-time mainstays: Chris Long.
Long, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft, was one of the NFL's best edge rushers from 2010-2013, racking up 41.5 sacks in that four year period. But he has been plagued by injuries over the last two years, appearing in just 18 games and notching just four sacks. With a 2016 salary that will count $14.25 million against the cap, it's possible that the Rams could decide to move on without him.
To his credit, Long has no disillusions about his situation.
"Honestly, I don't know," Long told ESPN of his position with the Rams. "Those decisions aren't all mine. Certainly I know the last few years I have been injured and the production is way down. So the bottom line is it's a production business. Do I deserve to play my last one here? I don't know but I know that I'm pretty committed to getting back to being me and I think that's very possible. It's two plays that kind of derailed the last two seasons for me and that's the way it goes. Bottom line is, I'm very motivated but I need some time to just get away."
Long has seen nothing but losing seasons since being drafted yet has still put up some impressive numbers. In eight seasons he has accrued 54.5 total sacks, 246 tackles, eight forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in 114 games. Before the 2014 season he had never missed a single game in his NFL career. But foot/ankle issues sidelined him for 10 games in 2014. The first four games of 2015 saw him collect two sacks and 10 tackles while playing solid run defense. Yet a fracture bone in his knee cost him four more games. When he returned, he snaps were way down and he rarely saw the field on a pass rusher's favorite play: third-down.
"I love my coaches, I love my teammates here," Long said. "If there's a way to make it work where I'm needed here and it works out, that would be great."
Only time will tell.
