[Milan]

Long Agrees to Long Term Deal
Saturday, July 19, 2008

By Nick Wagoner

Senior Writer



With training camp less than a week away, the Rams ensured that their prized draft choice will be in uniform and ready to go as No. 2 overall pick Chris Long agreed to terms on a long term contract Saturday.



No contract terms were immediately available but with No. 1 pick Jake Long and No. 3 pick Matt Ryan already signed, it’s safe to assume Long came in somewhere in the range of his fellow draftees.



Long said soon after being drafted that he planned to be in camp on time and the Rams and coach Scott Linehan expressed confidence he would be signed before the team leaves for Concordia (Wis.) University and training camp which begins on Thursday.



“I was never into that holdout business,” Long said in May. “That's real important to me, as a teammate more than anything.”



It’s important to the Rams, too, considering that in the moments after they chose Long with the second pick that Linehan declared Long the starting end on the right side of the line. Long spent most of the team’s June minicamp doing his best to learn from teammates La’Roi Glover, Leonard Little and line coach Brian Baker.



Although he had his ups and downs, he was more than aware of the work ahead of him as he adjusts from a 3-4 scheme at Virginia to a 4-3 base defense for the Rams.



“The great thing about Chris is that he is all ears,” Linehan said at the May minicamp. “He knows he has a lot to learn and he is going to the right guys. That is for sure.”



Long is the sixth of the 31 first round choices to agree to a contract, though teams will be feeling the heat to get deals done as training camp approaches.



With Long in the fold, the Rams can focus on signing what remains of their 2008 draft class. Long joins fourth round choice Keenan Burton, third rounder John Greco and fifth-rounder Roy Schuening as draftees under contract.



The only remaining unsigned picks are second round receiver Donnie Avery, fourth round cornerback Justin King and seventh round linebackers Chris Chamberlain and David Vobora.



WOOOOOOO

[Fresh27]

i just sort of skimmed through but i didnt see how much money he's getting. good for rams to finally sign him but im sue he wouldve taken a big contract

[Crippa]

Good signing by the Rams, possibly could get them a few more wins this season, but I still think they are 3 seasons away from being contenders. Good move nonetheless.