NFL free agency: Chris Long signs with New England Patriots

Veteran defensive end Chris Long has signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots. 

Chris Long is looking for a career resurgence with the New England Patriots after spending his entire eight-year career with the St. Louis Rams. ESPN reports that Long has agreed to a one-year contract with the Pats.

The Rams are packing up for L.A. and cutting bait with a number of players, including Long. He was cut by the team on February 19th. 

Long has had a relatively quiet career after being drafted No. 2 overall in 2008. Most of that has to do with playing for the Rams, because his numbers have been quite good. He increased his sack total in each of his first four years in the league, posting double-digit sacks in 2011 and 2012.

The last two years, however, have been a struggle. He was reliable enough to start every game for his first six seasons, but then the injury bug hit him in 2014. He only played in six games that season and then 12 in 2015, starting only five. His sack numbers dipped as well, from averaging nearly 8.5 from 2008-2013 to only a grand total of 4 in the last two years.

Perhaps the change of scenery will do him good. And winning. The Rams never made the playoffs during Long’s time there, while the Patriots have made it every year of his career except 2008 (when Tom Brady was injured the first game of the season but they still went 11-5) — and the Pats have won a Super Bowl and appeared in two during that span.

Chris Long turns 31 later this month, so he should still have a couple of good years in the tank. The Patriots traded 26-year old defensive end Chandler Jones recently, but you have to wonder if Long is viewed as a replacement or a possible replacement. With Long’s recent production, it could go either way.