Chris Long officially placed on short-term IR

St. Louis Rams star defensive end Chris Long exited the team’s blowout loss against the Minnesota Vikings in the third quarter with an ankle injury, and it didn’t look good from the start. After the game, Long’s status didn’t look good either, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported today that the dependable left end will miss eight to ten weeks and will need ankle surgery. It’s a tough blow for the Rams, and I didn’t think his injury was that severe, even though it looked like a multi-week issue from the start.

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As everyone fully expected, the NFL Network’s Albert Breer reports that the Rams have officially placed Long on the short-term injured reserve, so he’ll be out for at least eight weeks. That’s the timeline of his injury, and I think the Rams will be more willing to be cautious with him this year. Not only do they have an amazing amount of depth at defensive end, but the injuries at the quarterback position have pretty much caused the Rams to fall out of contention in the NFL’s most difficult division.

Hopefully Long can heal quickly and fully, because he’s a good player and dependable leader up front. But this injury might benefit the Rams long-term, because it allows us to see more of William Hayes, Eugene Sims, and even intriguing rookie Ethan Westbrooks. All of these guys are talented, and they should have solid seasons if given the playing time, especially considering who their peers are on that line.