Updated: 1:40 p.m.
The Eagles have given veteran defensive end Chris Long a raise, increasing his base salary from $1 million non-guaranteed to $2½ million fully guaranteed.
However, it may not be enough to keep Long with the Eagles. According to NFL.com's Michael Silver, Long is still pondering his football future, even though we know he signed the new contract at some point before March 15. More on that here.
As for the contract itself, including that $500,000 roster bonus — which was also in the previous version of the contract — Long would receive $3 million guaranteed this year instead of $1.5 million non-guaranteed plus $750,000 in easily achieved roster bonuses.
The roster bonus also eliminated a different series of roster bonuses that were due to pay Long $46,875 for every game in 2018 that he was on the 46-man roster.
According to a source, Long’s 2018 cap figure under terms of the new deal goes up $750,000 from $2.35 million to $3.1 million. The $750,000 increase comes from the elimination of $750,000 in incentives offset by the $1.5 million base salary raise.
Long’s new deal carries a $3.1 million cap figure for the $2.5 million base salary plus that $500,000 roster bonus and $100,000 in pro-rated signing bonus money.
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The new deal also includes $750,000 in playing-time, performance and team incentive bonuses that are considered “not likely to be earned” and which do not count against the Eagles’ 2018 salary cap.
Long's original deal, signed before last season, was a five-year contract, but the 2019 through 2021 seasons are already guaranteed to void.
Long had five sacks and forced four fumbles last year as a rotational defensive end. He wound up playing 496 snaps, 10th-most on the defense and only about 10 per game fewer than starter and Pro Bowler Brandon Graham and five per game fewer than starter Vinny Curry, who the Eagles released.
Long, who turns 33 next week, has 63½ career sacks. His 5.0 sacks last year were his most since 2013. He's won back-to-back Super Bowls the last two years with the Eagles and Patriots.