Bryce Hager has been with the Rams for the last five seasons, but he’s mostly played on special teams and contributed minimally on defense. Prior to making four starts in 2019, he had just one start under his belt and just 37 career tackles. He added 11 stops this past season, but an injury cut his year short.

Now an unrestricted free agent, the Rams must decide if Hager is worth re-signing. He probably won’t compete for a starting job at linebacker after struggling last year, but he does bring value on special teams.

• 2019 stats: 11 tackles (4 games played)
• PFF grade: 64.7 overall

Analysis

Hager was thrust into a starting role last season after Micah Kiser tore his pec and landed on injured reserve. Hager started the first four games of the season, but his playing time was still limited; he played just 71 total snaps in those four games.

Hager himself landed on IR in November due to a shoulder injury, which ended his season prematurely. He finished the year with 11 tackles, having minimal impact even when he was healthy and on the field.

Over the course of his career, Hager has primarily contributed on special teams. However, his inability to consistently contribute on defense make him expendable. The Rams tried to give him an opportunity at linebacker last season, but he was unreliable in coverage and missed one tackle on only 12 attempts.

Positional need: High

There’s no doubt the Rams need help at linebacker. Cory Littleton was the only one who played more than 27% of the defensive snaps last season, and he’s set to be a free agent. They didn’t have a reliable starter next to him all year and if he doesn’t return, Los Angeles will be looking at two new starters at inside linebacker.

Micah Kiser, Kenny Young and Troy Reeder will all compete for jobs, as will Travin Howard. But none of them are proven starters and hardly instill confidence as defenders. The Rams must address the linebacker spot this offseason.

Prediction: Signs one-year, $750,000 deal elsewhere

Hager has fallen out of favor in Los Angeles and doesn’t have much of a role. The Rams can find a cheaper contributor on special teams, someone who can also have an impact on defense, too. It’s time for them to move on from Hager and either draft a linebacker or lean on one of the younger players they already have on the roster.

He’ll take a small contract with another team and try to carve out a role on special teams, while also potentially competing as a backup linebacker. It just won’t be with the Rams.