Chris Long meets with the media following practice, after signing his long term deal.

The Rams signed defensive end Chris Long to a four year extension. Long has improved in each season since the Rams selected Long with the overall number two pick in 2008. The 27 year old was seventh in the NFL with 13 sacks last season, beating his previous best season high of eight. Long was entering the final year of a six-year, $56.5 million.

AUDIO Chris Long on what it means to sign a long term deal with the Rams (2:10)

The Rams may not be done with their move for long term commitments to locking up cornerstone players. The club could now try to sign middle linebacker James Laurinitis, in the final year of his contract, to a long term deal. Also, Steven Jackson, coming off a seventh straight, 1,000+ yard season, is in talks with the team as well, despite having two years left on his current contract.

(Chris Long on signing extension)

“I’m just really blessed and really lucky. I’ve worked hard but certainly I’ve just been very appreciative, appreciative of Stan Kreonke coming here and having the faith in me, and Coach Fisher and Les (Snead) for having the faith in me. I told him earlier I’ll work really hard to do right by them and I’m just really lucky.” 

(On getting his deal done before camp)

“Absolutely, I’m also appreciative of that. All parties involved worked to do that. My focus is football right now. That was really a blessing earlier to get it done, but I’m totally focused on football right now and I’m totally focused on the first practice and what I’ve got to do to get better for the next one.” 

(On getting the contract done before the season starts)

“Yeah it’s huge for me. It just puts your mind like you know where you stand and I feel really good about obviously commitment to me and I’m committed to them regardless. I’m always going to play really hard. To feel like I’m gonna be a part of something turning around, and I know I will, I’m absolutely lucky and appreciative and really happy.” 

(On what made him stay with the Rams)

“Absolutely I’ve been here along with some other guys for some years now and I’ve seen the downs. When it turns around I want to be a part of it. I don’t want to be watching it from somewhere else. I’d like to be here. When Coach Fish (Fisher) got here and gave us some hope. He does things the right way and I think Les has a vision for it. Stan’s obviously a great owner, so he’ll put a team of coaches…and GM, and players, we’re starting to assemble and I just want to be a part of it.” 

(On if any of his teammates teased him)

“You become open season for ‘can I get alone?’ all this stuff. Guys are just relentless but I’m really lucky. I’m lucky to have great teammates and they’re all just real congratulatory. It makes it nice to be at a place like this when you’ve got great teammates like I do.” 

(On how much better he can get)

“A lot, I mean, I can get a ton better so you know that’s my goal. My goal is to get better every year, get smarter, prepare better and I’ve got a lot to focus on in camp here. I’ll certainly come out every day and try to work hard to be a part of this defense. I think (the defense) can be pretty special and I’ll try to pull my weight.” 

(On Coach Fisher’s tone in the first team meeting)

“Great tone. He’s a confident guy because he’s gotten it done before and he knows how to do it so he gives us confidence just being up there. There’s no panic about it. It’s, ‘Were gonna win, and we’re gonna learn how to win and we’ve got what we need in this room.’ That message…it’s going to take work but there’s no panic. The past is the past and let’s look toward the future so we’re all excited about that.” 

(On how the new coaches communicated to him that he was part of the future)

“Well obviously when things change I don’t expect any immediate…what I did doesn’t matter or what I’ve perceived I’ve done or anyone perceives I’ve done. You’re only as good as your next snap and what you put on tape and how you work when you are here at Rams Park. For me I didn’t assume anything. I certainly just tried all season and didn’t expect anything. I’m just very lucky to be where I am, obviously, and I’ve got some guys who I think very highly of behind me. I think highly of Coach Fisher, I think very highly of Stan (Kreonke) and Les Snead and those guys and obviously and give me the opportunity to be here for the next couple years just feels really good. I didn’t assume anything but I just worked hard to try to…this was my goal to be here.” 

(On if the negotiation to collaborate started recently)

“It’s been kind of, I don’t know what you call a while. I don’t want to get into the timeline, but again, I’m very appreciative that we were able to get it done before camp. I’m not really into that whole deal. I’d like to go kind of under the radar. I really didn’t even want to talk about it that much but I know that it kind of has to be talked about. I’m just very appreciative, I’m very lucky, and I’m even more lucky that it got done before camp and I’m just very happy.” 

(On talking about the negotiation)

“It’s part of the deal. It’s good to talk about because I’m excited to be here for five more years. That’s why I like talking about it because I’m excited about the future, but otherwise I don’t want to. We’ve got a bunch of guys working hard out here for the same goals, to win a championship, and that’s kind of what we’re focused on. I don’t want it to be about me; it’s about us and I’m just very lucky and appreciative.” 

(On trying his dad’s tying his dad’s best sack record last year)

“He was doing it from a lot of different spots on the line. He’s him, I’m me, so it was nice to get the same number but winning would have been everything. Winning means a lot more than that so that’s the goal this year. We’re all super excited to be a part of something like this and we’re going to be able to turn this thing around so we can’t wait to get out here tomorrow and get to work again.”