Chris Long signs his NFL contract and will not miss the start of Rams training camp

Thank goodness. Chris is going to be an excellent pro. He has a great work ethic and a sense of personal pride about what he brings to the table. I am very glad that he's not going to miss any training camp. T.T

Rams agree to terms with top pick Long

Defensive end Chris Long, the Rams' top draft pick this year, will sign his contract some time next week and report to training camp on time.

By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
07/19/2008

The Rams on Saturday reached a contract agreement with Chris Long, the No. 2 overall selection in April’s NFL draft. Terms of the deal were not immediately available, although coach Scott Linehan indicated that it covers at least five years.

The deal, which Long is expected to sign early next week, guarantees that the 6-foot-3, 279-pound defensive end from the University of Virginia, will join his teammates when they report to Concordia University in Mequon, Wis., on Thursday. Practices begin Friday.

Long is the son of NFL Hall of Famer and current Fox network broadcaster Howie Long and the Rams’ highest overall draft selection since 1997, when they took tackle Orlando Pace with the No. 1 pick. Long is expected to start at right end, opposite veteran Leonard Little.

Jay Zygmunt, the Rams’ president of football operations and general manager, had met with Long’s Los Angeles-based agent, Marvin Demoff, several times before the deal was completed Saturday.

Linehan acknowledged that he was relieved to have Long in the fold. "I was kind of anxious to get moving on this," Linehan said. "There’s nothing guaranteed about when a guy’s going to sign and be in camp. He was obviously a high-profile pick for us, and I’m really excited about it."

Contracts for the Nos. 1 and 3 overall draft picks, Michigan tackle Jake Long and Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, respectively, were completed early. Miami signed Long to a five-year, $57.75 million contract, five days before the April 26-27 draft. Ryan received a six-year, $72 million deal from Atlanta Falcons on April 20.

Long is the fourth of the Rams’ eight draft picks in the fold. Previously signed were tackle John Greco (third round), wide receiver Keenan Burton (fourth) and guard Roy Schuening (fifth). Unsigned are wide receiver Donnie Avery (second), cornerback Justin King (fourth), and linebackers Chris Chamberlain (seventh) and David Vobora (seventh).

The others, Linehan said, should fall into line rapidly now that Long has a deal. "I don’t anticipate any problems with getting everbody signed by the time we start camp," he said. "You never say never, but it would be pretty uncommon for anything to hold up the next group of guys."