Eagles' Long embracing elder statesman role

Chris Long has heard a hundred times the "back in my day'' war stories from his father Howie about how brutal NFL training camps used to be.

"He tells me they did this six hours a day, every day,'' the Eagles defensive end said after Tuesday's two-hours-and-change practice at the NovaCare Complex, which featured the first "live" contact of training camp.

Times have changed. Tuesday's practice was the first of just three training camp workouts by the Eagles that will include live contact. The rest of the practices will be devoted to ballroom dancing.

The 32-year-old Long, who signed with the Eagles in late March, made it through Tuesday's practice fine. In fact, he still had enough bounce in his step afterward to play with his 17-month-old son Waylon under the hot summer sun.

"I feel like I did when I was 28 and playing really good ball before I got hurt for a few years,'' Long said. "I want to finish my career strong, however many years I have left. When you're 32, you're just taking it one day at a time.''

Long, the second overall pick in the 2008 draft, just after offensive tackle Jake Long and just before quarterback Matt Ryan, is entering his 10^th NFL season. He spent the first eight with the team that drafted him, the St. Louis Rams.

Made a lot of money there – more than $90 million – and had some individual success, recording 41½ sacks during one four-season stretch.

But the Rams' never made the playoffs while Long was there, never even won more than seven games. Their combined record during his eight years in St. Louis: 39-88-1.

"Anybody who plays a long time on bad teams realizes how lucky you are to win in this league and what it takes,'' Long said. "A lot of players have put their best years into some wasted ball. You have to appreciate your shots. You have to appreciate your opportunities.''

Long doesn't waste a lot of time dwelling on the fact that he spent the prime of his career playing for a losing team. He knows the league is loaded with a lot of very good players who have endured the same fate.

Besides, after the Rams released him following the 2015 season, he signed with with the Patriots and promptly won a Super Bowl.

"I don't regret (the eight years with the Rams) because I control what I can control,'' he said. 'I don't think anybody should hang their head as long as they bust their ass and be the best teammate they can be.

"That's all anybody in that locker room did for years. We never got over the hump, but it wasn't wasted time. You always get something out of it. It's bigger than just football.''

Long probably could've stayed in New England and picked up another Super Bowl ring this year.

But he wanted to sign somewhere that was a better "football fit.'' The Patriots play multiple 3-4 and 4-3 fronts. Long is a natural 4-3 end, but often lined up inside at the three-technique (on the outside shoulder of the guard) last season.

He played 68 percent of the defensive snaps and had four sacks. Did a decent job. But it wasn't the best use of his talents.

His playing time decreased in the second half of the season. He played only 34.6 percent of the Patriots' defensive snaps in the playoffs, and was on the field for only 15 plays against Atlanta in Super Bowl LI.

Jim Schwartz's wide-nine front is a good fit for Long's skill set. Still to be determined is how much skill he has left at 32.

"This is more what I've been accustomed to doing,'' Long said of Schwartz's defensive scheme. "We've got a great group and it's a lot of fun to come to work with these guys. Everybody brings a little bit different skill set to the table. We're deep and we're competitive.''

The pass rush failed the Eagles in the second half of the season last year. They had 20 sacks in the first six games, then just 14 the rest of the year. That's why they drafted Derek Barnett. That's why they traded for defensive tackle Tim Jernigan. And that's why they signed Long.

Long has 58½ career sacks. Forty-one-and-a-half of them came in a four-year stretch from 2010 through 2013. Injuries slowed him the next two years. He missed 14 games in 2014-15. Had just four sacks those two years and was released.

"Sometimes you might not like the reason for something,'' he said. "Do I wish I could've spent my entire career in one place and had a legacy in one place, like my dad? Sure. But football throws curveballs at you. You can't control your health.''

He is healthy now. The only question is the amount of gas left in the fuel tank. Long is the oldest player on the defense. But he kind of has embraced that.

"It keeps you young,'' he said. "Having guys come to you and expect something out of you, when you have younger players looking to you, you've got to bring it every day. It gives you a little extra motivation.''

Schwartz likes to use a four-man rotation at defensive end. It's expected to be Brandon Graham, Barnett, Vinny Curry and Long. How the playing-time percentages shake out will depend on performance.

"I expect to just be at my best and help the team,'' Long said. "Hopefully, that means playing a lot. Because the only reason I decided to keep playing (he briefly considered retirement after the Patriots' Super Bowl win) was I still wanted to play football. I just love football.

"I know we have a great rotation and a great group of guys. As long as I'm out there playing football, I'm happy.''