Rams sign defensive end Chris Long

St. Louis, MO (My Sportsbook) - The St. Louis Rams signed defensive end Chris Long, the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft, to a long-term contract Sunday.

Terms were not disclosed but The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the contract covers at least five years.

The deal will allow Long, a 6-foot-3, 279-pound end from Virginia, to report to Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin by next Thursday, when the Rams open training camp.

The son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long, the younger Long is expected to start at right defensive end next season for St. Louis, which finished an NFC-worst 3-13 in 2007.

A unanimous All-America selection, winner of the Ted Hendricks Award (given to the nation's top defensive end), and ACC Defensive Player of the Year for 2007, Long had 14 sacks for the Cavaliers in his senior year.

[Sports Handicapper]

Let's hope this opens the flood gates to get more top picks into camp. I get so tired of hearing guys say "I'll absolutely be in camp - it's very important to me" then nobody signs until mid-August and their tune changes. Sign your contract and get to work!