By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

Normally when a team signs a mammoth defensive tackle like the Rams did with Hollis Thomas late last week, the happiest people are the linebackers that get to run free behind him.

But there was probably not a Ram with a bigger smile on his face than defensive end Leonard Little when Thomas put pen to paper to come to the Rams.

“Oh yeah, I am not the oldest guy on the team no more so that is good,” Little said. “Me and him talk about that too. 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.’”

Indeed, Thomas is officially the elder statesman on the Rams now, older than Little by about nine months. In St. Louis, though, Little remains the wise old man if for no other reason than attrition.

As it stands, Little is the last remaining member of the team’s 1999 Super Bowl championship squad on this, the 10-year anniversary of that feat.

“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.”

In the past few years, Little has had to say goodbye to close friends and teammates from that team. Marshall Faulk and Jeff Wilkins have retired. Isaac Bruce and Kurt Warner were cut loose.

And just this offseason, Little survived a purge of veterans that included the release of long time teammates and friends Torry Holt and Orlando Pace. Little entered the league in 1998 as a third-round pick. Even in that Super Bowl season, Little only played in six games.

It’s been a strange adjustment to life without his teammates for Little, who never imagined he’d be the last man standing from that record-setting squad.

“It is different because you are used to being around those guys for so long,” Little said. “Especially Torry and Orlando. I was around them all of my career.  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 so 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.”

The release of so many of his friends combined with the fact that Little is entering the final season on his contract has helped Little recognize his football mortality.

When Little signed an extension with the Rams a few years ago, he made it known that he wanted to play out the contract and then see what happens but retirement would be a legitimate possibility.

Now that the year is here, though, Little isn’t concerning himself with what will happen at the end of the season. Rather, Little is doing all he can to ensure that this season will be one of his best.

Little spent his offseason working out at home in Charlotte after the Rams finished up their offseason program. After being slowed by a hamstring last year that limited him to six sacks, Little is doing all he can to ensure good health this year.

“As long as I keep my body in good condition and try to stay injury-free I will be fine,” Little said. “Right now my body feels pretty good.  I just have to keep my body in good condition and try to stay injury-free.”

Staying healthy is just one aspect of Little’s efforts to staying young when it comes to what’s happening on the field.

Save for the final three-quarters of last season, Little is playing for a head coach with a defensive background this season.

Making matters more exciting, coach Steve Spagnuolo’s penchant for getting the most out of his defensive linemen by putting them in positions to succeed has Little fired up about his place in the new scheme.

Spagnuolo has a similar level of respect for what Little – who holds the St. Louis version of the Rams’ franchise record for sacks with 81 – has accomplished and what he can still do.

“Yeah, I tell you what, I’ve been blessed to have some experience with guys at that position who played a lot of football,” 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.”

Long known for his pass rushing skills – skills that are still readily apparent – Little has been an every down defensive end for most of his career after moving into the starting lineup.

Although some expect his advanced age to eventually land him as a third-down, situational type of pass rusher, Little believes he is still more than capable of handling the bulk of the snaps at his usual position.

Spagnuolo is known for deploying his defensive ends in a variety of ways, including a package in which he uses four defensive ends lined up on the line at the same time with a couple moving inside.
Spagnuolo also isn’t shy about using his defensive linemen in waves and it would come as no surprise if he does the same in St. Louis. At least for now, though, it appears Little’s responsibilities as the team’s premier pass rusher will remain intact.

“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 is also taking on a leadership role on the defensive line, providing knowledge to youngsters such as Chris Long, Victor Adeyanju and Adam Carriker.

As for anything beyond this season, Little is non-committal. For now, he’s taking his role as the old man of the group in stride and absorbing the jokes with a hearty laugh.

“With Mike Jones and Roman Phifer and they were like 29, 30 years old and I used to pick with them, ‘When you all started playing, I was in elementary school,’” Little said. “(The rookies) do me the same way.  I try to just go out and have the same attitude, workman’s attitude I always have and just try to come out here and get better everyday.”