The St. Louis Rams have begun contract extension talks with key components of the team's defensive unit James Laurinaitis and Chris Long, according to the Rams' vice president of football operations and chief operating officer Kevin Demoff.
"We're in the process of starting initial conversations with both players, and I'm optimistic that both will wear the horns for years to come," the executive said during a live chat on the Rams' official website. "We have plenty of cap room in 2013 and the plan is to re-sign both of them."
Demoff noted that for the past several years the team has been clearing cap space to make sure St. Louis would be able to resign their core players.
Last season, Laurinitais collected 142 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions in his third year in the league for the Rams.
Long recorded 37 tackles and 13 sacks with one forced fumble.