New Packers CB David Long Sees Parallel to Super Bowl Champs

New Green Bay Packers cornerback David Long was part of the 2021 Los Angeles Rams, who lost three in a row before winning five straight and then sweeping through the postseason to win the Super Bowl.

“The Super Bowl was great,” Long, who was claimed off waivers from Carolina this week, said after his first practice with the Packers on Thursday. “I feel like we caught our stride at the right time, kind of how this team is doing. We just kind of rode that wave into the playoffs. Everybody bought in and we were able to do something special.”

Who knows how the rest of this season will play out for the Packers, who have won three in a row and have a chance to make it four straight on Monday night at the Giants, but Long is eager to come along for the ride.

A third-round pick by the Rams in 2019, Long started 10 regular-season games in four seasons in Los Angeles. That doesn’t include a 2021 wild-card game, in which he started and had a pick-six against Arizona, nor does it include the Super Bowl, when he didn’t start but played about 80 percent of the defensive snaps.

A lockdown defender at Michigan, Long was one of the top cornerback prospects of the 2019 NFL Draft. But his career has gone sideways. He signed a one-year contract with Las Vegas in free agency but was released at midseason. After that, he spent a few weeks with the Panthers.

How does a player keep his confidence when, in essence, he was told by two of the worst teams in the NFL that he’s not good enough?

“Yeah, that’s a valid question,” Long said. “I think I’m very self-aware. I understand things I need to work on but the thing about this league is it’s not always black and white in terms of why things happen and why things don’t. You see a lot of guys bounce around the league that have been productive or can be productive, and I think for me it’s just staying in the fight.”

Long continued by offering a unique perspective on what’s ahead.

“I’m not coming into a situation where I feel like I need to be a CEO when the opportunity to make the team or to make the company is cleaning the floors,” he said. “I’m willing to do whatever I can or wear whatever hat. I don’t really allow my ego and my pride to get in the way.

“I was a starter in the Super Bowl, and then I’ve been bouncing around this past year for the first time between teams. I was playing a little bit on defense and not playing. But, yeah, just leaving my pride and my ego out of it and just trying to do the best I can for the defense. I don’t really think too much about myself. My personal journey, that will take care of itself as long as I do what I need to do for the team.”

Long arrived in Green Bay with little more than some clothes, toiletries and his cleats. At least he joined a team with some familiar faces. He played with Rashan Gary and Jon Runyan at Michigan. Long snapper Matt Orzech was on the Super Bowl team with the Rams. And he knows Keisean Nixon.

“It’s tough, because this is a business of people, and you get familiar with people,” Long said. “Just packing a light bag so it’s easy to move around, and then just going out there and giving your best for your new teammates and new peers so that they have earned respect for you.”

Long can fit anywhere in the secondary. This year, with one start for the Raiders and another for the Panthers, almost all his snaps have come at cornerback. In fact, he’s been mostly a cornerback other than down the stretch of the Super Bowl season, when he moved into the slot.

If needed, Long could probably contribute this week – or not long thereafter. Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry came from the Rams, where Long spent his first four seasons. Carolina’s defensive coordinator, Ejiro Evero, also came from the Rams.

A couple years ago, the Packers found another cornerback who was a third-round pick, Rasul Douglas, on Arizona’s practice squad. That moved saved Green Bay’s season and Douglas’ career.

Perhaps the same will happen for Long.

“I think every opportunity is a fresh start for me,” he said. “I think this is a great place. They’re turning in the right direction. I’m happy to be here. And I’m just willing to take advantage of my opportunities and we’ll see where it goes from here.”