After winning a Super Bowl in his one-year stint with the New England Patriots, defensive end Chris Long has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. The contract will double the length of the deal he signed last fall, keeping the edge rusher in the NFC East through 2018.
Chris Long signs with Eagles, beefing up their edge rush in 2017
Long earned a ring with the Patriots, but he won’t ride off into the sunset just yet.
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Long confirmed the signing on Twitter:
The second overall pick in the 2008 draft, Long has been one of the more accomplished edge defenders over the past decade. The longtime Rams end has tallied 58.5 sacks, 22 run stuffs, nine forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries in a nine-year career. He notched four sacks, three pass defenses, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery last year with the Patriots.
Though he’s never received Pro Bowl recognition or All-Pro consideration, Long has been an impactful player for nearly a decade, even if his efforts have often gone unnoticed. Before winning a ring with New England, Long was a member of a perennially dreadful Rams team, where he teamed up with Robert Quinn to form one of the NFL’s most formidable edge-rushing duos. Long tallied 24.5 sacks from 2011-12, helping the Rams go 7-8-1 in 2012 (the Rams’ best season since going 8-8 in 2006).
Long is best suited as a situational edge rusher, but he’s still capable of handling duties in base packages if need be. The veteran, though not a flashy player, does the little things right.
He’ll join a recharged Philadelphia team that’s been aggressive in free agency after last year’s 7-9 campaign. The Eagles have added playmakers like Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith to a low-key offense, but had yet to make any major moves on the defensive front. Adding Long will give the team a veteran presence and locker room leader who can still pressure quarterbacks when needed.
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