Fansided

Rams release Chris Long, James Laurinaitis and Jared Cook

By Rob Wolkenbrod

Sep 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long (91) runs onto the field prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long (91) runs onto the field prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Rams made the shocking move of releasing three popular veterans.

This offseason has been a busy one for the Ram,s who moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles. This will be their second stint in LA after leaving the city in 1995 for St. Louis.

The Rams have been a disappointing team for years, having not made the NFL Playoffs since 2004 – rolling through multiple coaches, quarterbacks and players at pretty much every position since.

Over the past 5-10 years, the Rams have been led by a group of veterans on defense like linebacker James Laurinaitis and defensive end Chris Long, among others. They have always had one of the better defenses in the league, but the inability to find a quarterback has hurt them.

Well, it seems there will be a changing of the guard in Los Angeles going forward.

On Friday, the Rams announced on their team website that they have released Laurinaitis, Long and tight end Jared Cook.

Head coach Jeff Fisher commented on the transactions. Here is part of what he said:

"“This is the time of year when all NFL teams are faced with difficult decisions regarding their veteran players,” Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher said. “Chris and James are the epitome of what it means to be a pro in this league and it’s been an honor to coach them both."

This is a move that will certainly impact the Rams. They will be sporting a new look on leadership next season with Long and Laurinaitis gone while they will need to upgrade a skill position spot. It will only make their offseason a bit more busy as they look to settle into Los Angeles before the 2016 season starts.

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