Depth up front has become a real issue for the Los Angeles Rams, even this early in training camp.
The Rams returned all five starters from the NFL’s top-scoring offense, but the first week of camp has already shown why the offensive line can’t just coast on continuity. Pads are on, the contact has started, and Los Angeles has lost interior backup Justin Dedich to injury for now. On top of that, there’s still uncertainty around left tackle Alaric Jackson and whether a potential suspension could affect the start of his season.
That’s why the Rams moved quickly this week to bring in Blake Hance, a six-year veteran whose value comes from how many spots he can cover across the line.
Hance gives the Rams something they needed in one player: insurance at multiple positions. If Jackson’s situation keeps him out, Los Angeles has already used veteran David Quessenberry to take first-string left tackle reps when Jackson sat out practice for treatment related to a blood-clotting issue that has surfaced twice in his career.
But once Quessenberry moves up, the second unit gets thinner. Hance helps fix that.
He’s the second free-agent addition along the Rams’ offensive line, following interior lineman Bill Murray. Murray looks like a direct answer to Dedich’s injury.
Hance is more than that. He has enough experience and flexibility to step in at tackle if needed, while also giving the team help inside.
The résumé is solid for a reserve. Over six NFL seasons, Hance has played in 63 games and started 11.
He’s lined up at four of the five offensive line spots, with most of his work coming at right tackle. At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, he has the build and strength to hold up there.
His path through the league tells the rest of the story. Hance has spent time with the Browns, Jets, 49ers, Bills, Commanders, Titans, and Jaguars, and he also brings playoff experience. He’s the kind of veteran who can walk into a camp and immediately matter.
He’s not a Pro Bowler, but he’s exactly the type of lineman worth tracking as the roster starts to take shape. Hance arrived early enough to give himself a real shot at carving out a place on the Rams’ 53-man roster.
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