Chris Long’s release shouldn’t be a surprise. He hasn’t produced the last two seasons. 

The Los Angeles Rams shocked the football world yesterday by releasing linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive end Chris Long and tight end Jared Cook in cost cutting moves. By cutting the three veterans, the Rams will save $24.375 million dollars. The team will carry $4.7 million dollars in dead money. 

 The fact that they released the three players is not a surprise. Cook was grossly overpaid and never lived up to his contract. Long couldn’t stay healthy the last two years and wasn’t producing. Laurinaitis was simply a cap casualty. He’s a good player but he was not worth the money he was making. The NFL is business but it’s also a young man’s game. You pay young players, especially this day in age. It’s a two contract league now. 

So, where do the Rams go from here? Well, they’ll look to lock up Janoris Jenkins, Mark Barron, Trumaine Johnson, Aaron Donald, William Hayes and Michael Brockers to long term deals. Snead and Fisher have identified that those guys are the core of their defense and that’s who they want to pay. The Rams will also have four picks in the first three rounds of the upcoming draft. They are in position to get even younger. L.A is in a good spot even though it cost them three quality veteran players.