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Jake Long

Rams Release Jake Long, Scott Wells

March 9th, 2015 at 6:04pm CST by Zachary Links

6:04pm: The Rams officially announced the release of Long and Wells, Wagoner tweets.

5:38pm: The Rams informed offensive tackle Jake Long and center Scott Wells that they will be released, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The moves will save the team about $12MM in cap space.

The Rams will continue to speak with Long as he rehabs from his torn ACL and “discuss options,” tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL. Long, a former No. 1 overall pick, had been in St. Louis for the past two seasons after spending the first five years of his career with the Dolphins. The Rams had acknowledged that the 29-year-old would no longer be playing left tackle, as the club planned to move 2014 No. 2 overall selection Greg Robinson to that spot. Still, St. Louis had indicated that Long might still be retained, possibly to play on the right side.

But with Long scheduled to count $10.5MM against the cap in 2015, it simply didn’t make financial sense to keep him around. Injury concerns also surely played into the Rams’ thinking, as Long has torn his ACL in each of the prior two seasons, playing in just 22 games during that timeframe. With needs elsewhere on the roster, St. Louis couldn’t afford to sink money into such risky player. But if Rapoport is correct, a reunion between Long and the Rams could be in the cards, albeit at a much lower salary.

Wells, meanwhile, is a more durable player, having started 28 out of 32 games from 2013-14, but he was largely ineffective during that time — last season, in fact, he rated as the worst center in the league per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). At this point in his career, the 34-year-old Wells could struggle to find many offers on the open market. As for the Rams, they could potentially look to find a new center in free agency, where Stefen Wisniewski is the best available option.

NFC West Notes: Bradford, Dockett, Long

February 24th, 2015 at 5:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although initial reports have indicated that both the Browns and the Bills may have expressed varying degrees of interest in acquiring Sam Bradford, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes that, as of Tuesday, no team has contacted the Rams to discuss trading for the quarterback. Per Rapoport, the Rams have asked Bradford to accept a pay cut — when he declined, St. Louis allowed Bradford’s agent to determine if there was a market for his client. But no team has stepped forward, so far, and Rapoport adds that the Rams expect hefty compensation for Bradford, noting that a team would have to “extraordinarily desperate” to meet St. Louis’ demands.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

  • The Cardinals recently restructured the contract of receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and now they might be looking to tweak the deal of another veteran. Arizona general manager Steve Keim told reporters, including Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link), that the club has had a dialogue with defensive lineman Darnell Dockett about working out a new deal. Dockett’s 2015 cap hit of $9.8MM is the fifth-highest figure on the Cardinals’ roster.
  • Both Bradford and Rams tackle Jake Long are coming off their second ACL tear in as many seasons, and Long’s future in St. Louis is just as murky as Bradford’s. Greg Robinson is slated to be the Rams’ left tackle next season, but head coach Jeff Fisher said there have been discussions about retaining Long, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
  • Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch took a stab at guessing Stan Kroenke’s next move. When the Chargers and Raiders formed an alliance and announced plans to build a stadium together in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, it wasn’t the best news for the Rams owner. Now, those who are familiar with Kroenke expect him to operate on multiple tracks in order to guarantee himself a positive outcome.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Combine Pressers: Rams, Jags, Seahawks

February 20th, 2015 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Most head coaches and general managers who were scheduled to speak to the media in a press conference setting at the combine this week did so on Wednesday or Thursday, but there were still a few names left on the docket today. Three head coaches or GMs spoke to reporters at the podium in Indianapolis this morning and afternoon, and we’ve got a recap of their notable comments below, with all links going to Twitter unless otherwise indicated….

Rams head coach Jeff Fisher:

  • According to Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk, Fisher said today that a report suggesting Sam Bradford was allowed to seek a trade was “inaccurate.” However, he stressed that the Rams will definitely be keeping an eye out for a quarterback this offseason. “It could be a veteran, could be a draft pick,” Fisher said. “But it’s extremely important to have that option, yes.”
  • Fisher once again reiterated that the Rams want Bradford back, noting that the former first overall pick had dinner with new quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke last week before Weinke was hired.
  • In addition to interviewing Jeff Garcia, the Rams also spoke to Steve Walsh about their QB coach job before hiring Weinke, according to Fisher.
  • Jake Long‘s rehab is progressing and the team is working on figuring out where he could fit besides left tackle, with many options in play, said Fisher. Greg Robinson is poised to take over as the Rams’ permanent left tackle, meaning Long will either switch positions or be cut.

Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell:

  • The Jaguars will have a top-three pick once again this season, and while the club has held onto its top pick in recent years, Cadlwell is more willing to discuss the possibility of moving down this time around, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. “I feel more open to it this year because we don’t need to have a guy come in and start,” Caldwell said. “We had no margin for error the last two years. We had to draft them and start them.”
  • If the Jags do decide to trade their pick, Caldwell expects it to be a last-minute move, since some teams wait until draft day to make a real offer.
  • The Jaguars head into March armed with a ton of cap space, and the team plans to be aggressive in free agency, but won’t “spend just to spend,” said Caldwell.
  • Caldwell has received second-hand reports telling him that wide receiver Justin Blackmon is making solid progress, trying to make positive strides in his life. Blackmon is slowly working his way toward reinstatement, as we heard a couple weeks ago.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll:

  • The Seahawks have made “big offers” to running back Marshawn Lynch, and engaged in “earnest” talks with him, per Carroll. The club is still waiting on Lynch to make a decision about the coming season, and if he decides to continue playing, it sounds like he’ll be rewarded with an extension.
  • Having lost coaches like Dan Quinn and Ken Norton to larger roles with other clubs, the Seahawks are still looking to fill a couple spots on their defensive staff, according to Carroll, who said the team is conducting interviews in Indianapolis.

Rams Rumors: Bradford, Hill, Long, Barksdale

February 18th, 2015 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the more notable news items to come out of the first full-fledged day of media availability at the combine in Indianapolis was a report from Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com indicating that the Rams were allowing Sam Bradford to seek out a potential trade. General manager Les Snead disputed that report, but whether or not it’s true, a deal involving Bradford appears unlikely. Given his contract situation and his injury history, Bradford’s best bet may be agreeing to a pay cut to remain in St. Louis, where it looks like he’ll have a good chance to re-assume the starting QB job for the Rams.

Here’s more on the NFC West squad:

  • While the Rams and Bradford’s agents don’t have a meeting scheduled for this week in Indianapolis, the two sides will at least talk over the phone, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  • St. Louis does have at least one meeting with a quarterback’s agent set up for this week, according to Thomas, who reports (via Twitter) that the club will meet with the rep for free-agent-to-be Shaun Hill.
  • Offensive tackle Jake Long, who missed the second half of the 2014 season with a torn ACL, has a $10.5MM cap number for 2015, and the Rams have begun discussions about possibly lowering that number, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Long, a former first overall pick, figures to move to a different position if he returns to the Rams in 2015, since last year’s first-rounder, Greg Robinson, appears poised to take over left tackle on a full-time basis (Twitter link via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald).
  • Speaking of offensive tackles, Snead said that Joe Barksdale is among the players who are expected to test the free agent market next month, tweets Wagoner. If Barksdale signs elsewhere, that would open up the right tackle spot for Long, assuming he has recovered from his knee injury in time for the 2015 season.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

October 28th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

While we’re tracking today’s practice squad signings and cuts in one post, and we’ve made note of more significant transactions in their own posts, we’ll use this space to round up the day’s minor moves relating to teams’ 53-man rosters:

  • The Giants are signing cornerback Mike Harris off of the Lions’ practice squad to their active roster, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). As Twentyman notes, Detroit didn’t have space on its active roster to promote Harris.
  • The Seahawks have opened up a pair of roster spots by cutting wide receiver Phil Bates and tight end Brett Brackett, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • One defender has replaced another in Houston, where the Texans have signed linebacker Zac Diles and released cornerback Elbert Mack, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
  • According to Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter), cornerback Marcus Williams has been promoted to the Jets‘ active roster from their practice squad, replacing A.J. Edds, whose release is discussed below.

Earlier updates:

  • The Raiders have waived linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu, the team announced today (via Twitter). The move leaves an open spot on Oakland’s 53-man roster, which the team has yet to fill.
  • The Rams have confirmed they’ve placed tackle Jake Long on injured reserve, making room for linebacker Korey Toomer, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The signing of Toomer is noted below.
  • Defensive end Greg Latta has been cut from the Broncos‘ injured reserve list, tweets Aaron Wilson.
  • The Saints placed wide receiver Joe Morgan on the reserve/suspended list today, re-signing tight end Tom Crabtree to replace him on the 53-man roster, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. As Triplett notes, head coach Sean Payton didn’t specify the reason for Morgan’s suspension, but it’s the latest obstacle for a player who looks increasingly unlikely to stick in New Orleans beyond this season.
  • The Bills have put safety Kenny Ladler on injured reserve with an arm injury, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Ladler signed with the team in May as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt, started the season on the practice squad, and had been promoted to the active roster earlier this month.
  • Linebacker Korey Toomer has been promoted from the Rams‘ practice squad to their active roster, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). It’s not clear yet what the corresponding move is, but Jake Long and Brian Quick are both expected to be placed on injured reserve any day now.
  • Over at The National Football Post, Wilson has the details on another roster move, writing that the Jets have cut linebacker A.J. Edds. Primarily a special teams contributor, Edds had also been serving at a backup at all three linebacker spots.

Jake Long Suffers Torn ACL

October 27th, 2014 at 10:20am CST by Zachary Links

An MRI has confirmed that Rams tackle Jake Long suffered a torn ACL, sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). St. Louis sensed that this was the case yesterday and today, their worst fears were confirmed. Long will surely be placed on season-ending IR this week.

It’s more bad news for the Rams who also lost quarterback Sam Bradford to a torn ACL. Long, the first overall pick in 2008, spent the first five seasons of his career with the Dolphins before signing a four-year, $34MM contract with St. Louis prior to last season. The injury is doubly frustrating for Long as he also suffered an ACL tear towards the end of the 2013 season.

Greg Robinson, the second overall pick in the 2014 draft, will presumably take over starting duties at left tackle and move over from guard. Robinson was slotted in at left tackle after Long went down in the third quarter and he played the position at Auburn. Rodger Saffold also suffered an injury on Sunday, so the Rams will have multiple moves to make on the offensive line. Veteran guard Davin Joseph could be re-inserted into the starting lineup to help fill the gap.

NFC Notes: Jake Long, Bucs, Bears, Lions

October 26th, 2014 at 4:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams fear that left tackle Jake Long has torn his ACL, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Long, the first overall pick in 2008, spent the first five seasons of his career with the Dolphins before signing a four-year, $34MM contract with St. Louis prior to last season. If the diagnosis is correct, Long would be the second notable Rams player, along with quarterback Sam Bradford, to have his season cut short by an ACL injury. Long also missed the final game of last season after tearing his ACL. Greg Robinson, the second overall pick in the 2014 draft, will presumably take over at left tackle. He had been playing left guard, and given that Rodger Saffold also suffered an injury today, the Rams will have to do some maneuvering along their offensive line. Veteran guard Davin Joseph is a candidate to be re-inserted into the starting lineup.

  • We’ve heard rumors that the Buccaneers could look to move Vincent Jackson and/or Doug Martin, and following today’s overtime loss to the Vikings, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com opines (Twitter links) that Tampa Bay should look to deal the two, in addition to safety Dashon Goldson, at all costs. The Bucs generally don’t offer signing bonuses, so no money would accelerate onto their cap if Goldson was dealt. The acquiring team would be responsible for 9/17 of Goldon’s 2014 base salary, plus all of his 2015 guarantee — in total, about $7.18MM. Given that he rates 74th out of 82 qualified safeties per Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required), I’d wager that no team would be interested in taking on his salary, and even less inclined to give up a draft pick.
  • On the subject of Buccaneers trade rumors, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines what a Jackson deal would look like, noting that because an acquiring team would need at least $5.1MM in cap space in order to take on his contract, the pool of suitors is limited. Fitzgerald lists the Browns, Eagles, and Patriots among the clubs that have both the requisite cap space and the motivation to trade for a receiver upgrade.
  • Bears defensive lineman Lamarr Houston will undergo an MRI tomorrow, but the club fears the worst, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Mike Garafolo adds (via Twitter) Chicago believes Houston, a key free agent addition over the offeseason, suffered a season-ending knee injury.
  • Another NFC North lineman, the Lions’ Nick Fairley, suffered a knee injury today, and head coach Jim Caldwell isn’t optimistic about Fairley’s status. “I’m not quite certain where he is right now,” Caldwell told reporters, including Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “But obviously, when you’re carried off the field, it’s not the greatest news. We’ll see what the doctors say about him.”