Rams release stars Laurinaitis, Long

Long – who was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft – just wrapped his eighth season with the Rams.

With the recent release of St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis, New York may have found an answer to both problems if they decide to act on it.

Laurinaitis, 29, was also a team leader and the franchise’s all-time leading tackler, but releasing him saves $5.5 million against the 2016 cap. As the Rams’ defensive end, Chris Long, the son of Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long, started 95 games, with another 19 appearances, in eight years. Long would have counted for $14.25 million against the Rams’ cap in 2016. For teams looking to bring a steady veteran presence to their linebackers unit, Laurinaitis would be a welcomed addition.

Dec 15, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) looks to pass as St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long (91) defends during the second half at the Edward Jones Dome.

In a discussion with the St. Louis Dispatch, Laurinaitis thought that – at worse – the Rams would ask him to take a pay cut. But truth be told, the Rams simply think they can do better than Long, Laurinaitis and Cook at their respective positions.

Laurinaitis has never recorded less than 109 combined tackles in any season, while posting at least three sacks four separate times. He led the team in tackles in his first four seasons and reached the 100 tackle mark in each of his seven seasons in the league.

Injuries limited Long to 18 total games the past two seasons. The move comes just weeks before the free agency period as the team is still in a transition phase. They need somebody who can do more in the middle of that defense. No excuses, the last two years have been shit. It’s been painful to experience because I care deeply about my performance and my responsibility to my teammates. Cook signed a five-year, $35 million deal with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He’s one of only 12 tight ends in NFL history with 6,000 receiving yards, and his 592 catches are sixth most in league history.

Fisher continued to say that the team is grateful for the unselfish commitment Laurinaitis and Long gave to the team and wished them both the best as they move forward.

“Since he was drafted in the first round in 2005, Heath has been an awesome player on the field and an outstanding contributor in our community”, Steelers president Art Rooney II said.