Long latest addition to address pass rush
The Eagles added a pass rusher Tuesday with a splash of suburban Philly flavor in Chris Long, who agreed to terms on a two-year contract.
Long is the oldest footballplaying son of Howie Long, who began his career at Villanova and was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Another son, Kyle Long, plays offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears.
Hours after adding Long to the fold, the Eagles agreed to terms on a one-year deal with cornerback Patrick Robinson (511, 190), a seven-year journeyman with 10 interceptions. Robinson played in just seven games last season due to concussion, knee, hip and groin issues.
Chris Long (6-3, 275) turned 32 Tuesday. Though he hasn’t been the game-changing force you’d expect from a second overall draft pick, he’s been productive. Long has 58 ½ sacks in nine NFL seasons, the first eight with the St. Louis Rams, who took him off the board in 2008.
Long notched four sacks while starting seven of 16 games last year with the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
Long clocked a 4.75 in the 40yard dash at 272 pounds at the 2008 scouting combine. He was rated first among 159 defensive ends ranked for the lottery by NFL Draft Scout.
Long started 95 of 114 games while playing for the Rams, registering 54 ½ sacks. The Rams went just 39-79-1 during his tour, one that included four different head coaches starting with Scott Linehan and concluding with
Jeff Fisher. Doug Pederson will be Long’s sixth head coach in 10 seasons.
The Eagles recently let go 30-year-old defensive end Connor Barwin, who contributed five sacks last year in starting all 16 games.
It’s no secret the Eagles intend to select a pass rusher in the upcoming NFL draft, quite possibly with the 14th overall pick. The Eagles could be looking at a cast of prospects that includes Derek Barnett (63, 259), Solomon Thomas (62, 273) and Taco Charlton (6-6, 277).
Right now the Eagles’ defensive ends are Brandon Graham — who had 5 ½ sacks last season — Vinny Curry and Marcus Smith — who had 2 ½ sacks each — Steven Means and Alex McCalister, the seventh-round draft pick out of Florida who spent the year on the practice squad.
Robinson spent his first four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, who selected him with the 32nd pick in the 2010 draft.
Robinson has started 49 of 81 games, including six of seven last season with the Indianapolis Colts. The Florida State product played for the Chargers in 2015.
With two starting cornerback jobs open, the Eagles could select two or three in the draft. There are at least 15 corners in the draft capable of upgrading the Eagles’ defense, including Sidney Jones, who recently underwent surgery for a torn Achilles’ tendon.