Former first overall pick Jake Long has been medically cleared for football by Dr. James Andrews, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter links). With the go-ahead from Dr. Andrews, Long is paying a visit to Atlanta and will work out for the Falcons on Thursday, reports Schefter.
For Long, it’s his second visit of the summer to Atlanta, but the fact that he has been cleared this time means that there’s a better chance this trip could end with a contract agreement. The Falcons have been linked to Long throughout the offseason, with head coach Dan Quinn suggesting last week that the veteran lineman is a player “we have lots of regard for.”
Long, 30, saw time in just seven games for the Rams last season, thanks to a torn ACL. The former No. 1 overall pick had been in St. Louis for the past two years after spending the first five years of his career with the Dolphins, but tore his ACL in each of those two seasons, playing in just 22 games during that stretch.
Last season, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Long as just the No. 36 tackle out of 84 qualified players. In 2013, however, Long graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the league with a strong 22.5 overall score, based on PFF’s advanced metrics. Still, with the Rams going younger and cheaper on their offensive line, the team elected to part ways with Long earlier in the year.
If Long and the Falcons don’t agree to a deal, the Giants remain interested, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.