The Los Angeles Rams have signed a free-agent offensive lineman amid the uncertainty surrounding the Alaric Jackson situation.
The Los Angeles Rams do have a solid roster, but one of the biggest uncertainties this team has is the depth at the offensive line overall, especially if left tackle Alaric Jackson is suspended for a few games to start the season as a result of his domestic violence case.
To help strengthen the depth up front, the Rams have signed free agent offensive lineman Blake Hance. So far, Hance has played six years in the NFL and has experience with a variety of teams, including the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Tennessee Titans.
Hance spent the 2025 season with the Titans and played a total of 89 snaps, with 84 of those snaps coming at right guard and five snaps coming at tight end, according to PFF. In Hance's snaps last season, he allowed three pressures, zero quarterback hits, and zero sacks, but did have two penalties.
With this signing, the Rams replenish their depth following the news of interior offensive lineman Justin Dedich being placed on the Declared Non-Football Injury List.
While Hance did primarily play on the interior last season, his 6-6 and 310-pound frame could help him become one of the Rams' more versatile offensive linemen with the size to play tackle and guard. With Jackson facing a potential suspension, the more options the Rams have at tackle, the more prepared they will be in case they do need to play a game without Jackson.
When looking at the Rams' offensive line as a whole, the starting unit of Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, and McClendon has proven to be one of the more consistent units in the NFL. However, if Jackson does miss time and there is another injury, the depth of this group will play a major role in whether or not this offense can be as productive as it was in 2025.
At this point, the Rams do have a few different options for left tackle without Jackson, but it may require some shuffling on the offensive line.
One option is to slide current right tackle Warren McClendon Jr. to the left side and have rookie tackle Keagen Trost step in to play right tackle.
The main issue with this option is the fact that McClendon performed very well on the right, and having him try to play left tackle could make him uncomfortable and potentially cause him to lose some confidence. There is also the aspect of not knowing whether or not Trost is ready for the NFL game against the league's best pass rushers.
Some other possibilities include playing veterans like David Quessenberry or AJ Arcuri at left tackle and leaving McClendon in his natural position on the right side. With options like Quessenberry or Arcuri playing, this puts the Rams in a position where they have to rely on players with very little game experience over the past few seasons, and with the schedule the Rams have, they need someone who is ready to perform in Week 1.
While Hance did play primarily on the interior rather than tackle in 2025, he does provide solid depth and experience overall, which is something the Rams do need to ensure they can sustain an injury up front.
Overall, the Rams team does look to be in a solid spot, but the depth on this offensive line, especially at both tackle spots, will definitely be something to watch as training camp continues to progress.
