The St. Louis Rams have signed linebacker James Laurinaitis to a five-year, $41.5 million extension that runs through 2017, as first reported by ESPN Saturday afternoon. The deal includes a guarantee that will total more than $23.5 million, could be worth as much as $44 million for Laurinaitis.

The Rams signed defensive end Chris Long to an extension through 2016 back in July. It was just a matter of time before the Rams inked the team’s leading tackler the last three season. He was drafted in the second round of 2009.