Chris Long isn’t ready to hang up his cleats just yet
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long still has the itch to play football in 2019. Would the Eagles bring him back?
The 2019 NFL offseason is going to be entirely different for the Philadelphia Eagles. While they lost a few of their key players from the Super Bowl run last season, they are expected to miss more than a few key contributors during this offseason as well.
That’s not to say that the Eagles are turning a page in the franchise and entering a re-build, but they must make the correct decisions when it comes to retaining veterans in order to stay competitive within the NFC for 2019.
One of the most critical position groups for the Eagles over the last few years has been the defensive line. When the pass rushers up front were pressuring the opposing quarterbacks throughout the previous two seasons, the defense has looked like the strongest side of the ball for the Eagles. While they have a couple of elite names on board, the most impressive part about the Eagles defensive front in the amount depth and talent that they have.
During the 2017 offseason, the Eagles signed veteran defensive end Chris Long as a rotational piece and a veteran presence in the locker room. During his two year stint with the Birds, Long finished up with 11.5 sacks through two seasons. He played all 32 regular season games along with the five postseason games the Eagles appeared in over the last two years. Now, the Eagles have to decide whether they want to keep the 34-year-old pass rusher on board, or not.
Long is ready to return to Philly if the Eagles want him back
Chris Long: "I'd like to play football in 2019. I thought I had a really strong year and felt good physically. I know I'm an older guy, but I don't think I've missed a practice over the last two years... I had a good year rushing the passer... the itch is still there."
— Jon Marks & Ike Reese on 94WIP (@MarksReeseWIP) January 25, 2019
Long considered retiring after the 2017 season. It was a long year, that resulted in a Super Bowl win. Seeing as though Long appeared in both, the 2016 and 2017 Super Bowl’s, the long seasons could’ve been very exhausting for the veteran. We thought for a moment that there was a real chance that Long would hang up his cleats and walk off into the sunset as a back-to-back Super Bowl champion. However, Long wasn’t ready. And now that the 2018 season is over for the Eagles, Chris Long has made it clear on 94 WIP that he still has the itch to play.
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Chris Long is set to become a free agent during the offseason, but the Eagles will be on the hunt for defensive linemen. Obviously, with a struggling financial situation, the Eagles have been forced to make some tough decisions in the past. We’re not speculating that Long will or will not be with the Eagles for next season, but nobody can be so sure nowadays. For anybody who was worried about whether Long wants to continue playing or not though, we at least have our answer here – Chris Long wants to return to Philly for 2019.