The Los Angeles Rams will have a big decision to make in regards to defensive end Chris Long.
Long is the longest tenured player for the Rams (2008-2015) however he has begun to decline in his later years. At 30 years old he is not nearly as durable as he was earlier on his career however he has played in 114 out of 128 games in his career. In 2015 Long only played in 12 games and started in 5 of them. He recorded 19 combined tackles, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble in the 2015 season. This level of production is indicative of an injury riddled season so it is possible Long can bounce back.
Long's cap hit is an astonishingly high $14,250,000 and the Rams have a little over $35 million in cap space. Over his career Long has racked up 246 combined tackles, 54.5 sacks, and 8 forced fumbles so he has been a force at generating pressure.
Long is in the twilight of his career so it should be assumed he would love to compete for a Super Bowl with a contender rather than become a bridge player for a rebuilding franchise. The Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs would all be great fits for Long as they could utilize his veteran knowledge and pass rushing skills without over relying on him.
If Long however if just looking for his last big paycheck the San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, and Chicago Bears would all present some tantalizing options. Long's contract is not up but it is expected that he will be released in order for the Rams to help build a team around Todd Gurley.
