The St. Louis Rams are expected by many to be quite improved this year, in part because of their new left tackle, Jake Long. The former No. 1 overall pick delivered good news recently, saying he feels great, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
"I’m feeling great," Long said. "I feel healthy. It’s the healthiest I’ve felt going into a season in probably three years."
Since signing a 4-year, $34 million deal this offseason with St. Louis, Long has meshed well. The hulking lineman has been taken care of by the coaching staff, which hasn't pushed him to hard in camp to keep him fresh. All of this seems to be paying off. Per the piece:
"I’ve got a pitch count on him," offensive line coach Paul Boudreau said during camp. "I’m not having him have every single rep along the way. He knows how to run ‘power.’ Why does he need to run ‘power’ again?
Long has been charged with the task of keeping quarterback San Bradford upright, something that hasn't been an easy chore since he was drafted in 2010. The Rams have tried different players and approaches in that time, going from Jason Smith to Rodger Saffold, but nothing has come to pass.
With Long in the fold, St. Louis is hoping to turn what has been a shaky unit into a very solid one quickly.
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