Tuesday, Aug. 04, 2009

Rams Leonard Little: 'I'll always be an every-down player'

ST. LOUIS -- Defensive end Leonard Little doesn't like dwelling on the distinction of being the last player left from the St. Louis Rams' 1999 Super Bowl championship team.

"I don't really think about it, but I guess I am that guy,'' Little said. "I miss the guys. We won a lot of games together. We went through a lot of stuff together, so I miss all of those guys that left. Me and (quarterback) Marc (Bulger) talk about it all the time. You know we are the last two from past years so we get a little conversation about that."

Little become the last man standing from 1999 squad after left tackle Orlando Pace and wide receiver Torry Holt were cut this spring in salary cap moves, and quarterback Trent Green retired. Pace signed with the Chicago Bears, while Holt signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Little said it feels strange not having Pace and Holt at training camp.

"It is different because you are used to being around those guys for so long, especially Torry and Orlando,'' Little said. "I was around them all of my career. Orlando came in the year I did, so it takes a little time to get used to, but you have to realize it's the NFL and stuff like that is going to happen. You just have to try to adjust to it the best way you can and try to go out and play regardless of what happens in the locker room."

Little wondered if he was next after watching Pace and Holt leave the team.

"You always think that,'' Little said. "You just never know what is going to happen in this league. I was like 'I could be next.'''

While cutting Pace and Holt saved almost $14 million on the salary cap, cutting Little would have saved only $2.5 million.

With the economics on his side, Little returns for his 12th season with the Rams.

At 34, Little was the oldest player on the Rams until defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, who is 10 months older, signed last week.

"Me and him talk about that, too,'' Little said. "I'm like, 'I'm glad you signed because you are a little bit older than me so you can be the grandpa around here now.'''

Little said the Rams' rookies now tease him like he used to tease the older players when he was a rookie.

"I was on the other end of the stick with Mike Jones and Roman Phifer, and they were like 29, 30 years old and I used to pick on them by saying, 'When you all started playing, I was in elementary school,''' Little said. "They (the rookies) do me the same way. I try to just go out and have the same attitude, workman's attitude I always have.''

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said he and his staff believe Little has some gas left in his tank.

"All the evaluations we did (this spring), that was part of the plan, and so far so good,'' Spagnuolo said.

Spagnuolo likes having veteran defensive ends. He had Michael Strahan and Jason Tuck in his two years as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.

"I've been blessed to have some experience with guys at that position,'' Spagnuolo said. "It's tremendously valuable. That's an important position on defense, and to have that kind of experience and leadership, I think it will only help us."

Little has 81 career sacks, the most by a Rams player since the NFL made the sack an official statistic in 1982.

Little's sack numbers -- six last season and just one in 2007-- have suffered in recent years due to injuries. He missed nine games in 2007 due to a toe injury that required surgery, and he was forced into the role of a situation pass rusher for nine games last season due to a hamstring injury.

Yet, Little bristles at the notion that he is no longer an every-down player.

"I'll always be an every-down player if I am healthy,'' Little said. "I don't know where people get this thing where I am just a third-down player. I have been playing every down since I have been starting."

Little feels like he doesn't get enough credit as a run defender.

"People just see the way I pass rush and stuff like that,'' Little said. "I think that overshadows me playing the run a little bit. Pass rushing, I guess, is a strong point of my game, but what people have to realize is, when you play defensive end in this league, and start, you have to play the run also."

Little said he likes having a physical training camp under Spagnuolo. And, he also said he wasn't having any flashback to Dick Vermeil's grueling camps in 1997 and 1998.

"No, but it's real physical and that is the way he wants the team to be -- offensively, defensively,'' Little said. "There is nothing wrong with that. I don't see anything wrong with us being physical and trying to win games.''

Little's contract expires after the 2009 season, and he's keeping mum on his future plans.

"This is the last year in my contract. That is it,'' Little said when asked several times whether he was considering retirement after this season.