The Philadelphia Eagles have added veteran defensive end Chris Long, who won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots last year, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. He also turned 32 on Tuesday, meaning this was a tremendous birthday gift.
The news was first pontificated by Kyle Scott of Crossing Broad, an Philly sports blog.
And to put a bow on it, DE Chris Long has agreed to terms with the Eagles, source says.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 28, 2017
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the deal is similar to the one-year contract he signed with New England last year that was worth $2.4 million. He appeared in all 16 regular season games last year for the Pats, starting six. He accumulated 35 tackles and four sacks.
Originally a No. 2 overall pick out of Virginia, Long was a prized draft-day acquisition by the then St. Louis Rams back in 2008.
Over the course of Long’s career, he has been very productive. He had a dominant stretch between 2010-13, during which time he racked up 41.5 sacks as a member of the Rams.
He’ll be a valuable addition to Philly’s defense on the field and an invaluable leader in the locker room.