After the dust had settled on the Rams’ final roster cuts this weekend, it was impossible not to look at the inside linebacker position where only three players remained. That was only until the Rams claimed Justin Hollins off waivers from the Broncos one day later, adding a versatile linebacker who can play inside and outside.
Hollins may not be a household name or even familiar to Rams fans, but the 2019 fifth-round pick has experience in a defensive system similar to the one Brandon Staley is installing in Los Angeles. That connection to Staley is what led the Rams to claim Hollins, Sean McVay said Monday.
“That was huge. I mean that’s the reason that we brought him in is because Brandon felt comfortable with him. He identified him as a guy that could really help us, has some familiarity with what we’re doing schematically, can contribute really on defense and on special teams,” McVay said.
Hollins has already arrived in Los Angeles and got in his first day of work with the Rams on Monday. McVay expects the former Broncos linebacker to grasp the defense quickly, and his versatility will be on display in L.A.
It sounds like Hollins will begin at outside linebacker, but McVay said he can play inside, as well.
“He was here, he looks good,” said McVay. “He’ll be a quick study that has some versatility on the edge and if he has to drop inside, talking about an inside linebacker, but he’s a guy we’re excited to be able to claim. We had kind of identified him as somebody that we wanted to be able to utilize that spot, that we were going to be able to get for A’Shawn Robinson (going on the NFI list). That’s something that we’re excited to be able to have Justin in the building. And today was his first day with us.”
As for when Hollins can expect to suit up and make his Rams debut, that’ll be on Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys. McVay said “the plan is he’ll be up” for the season opener, likely because the Rams are seriously lacking linebacker depth with Travin Howard out for the year.
Expectations should be tempered for Hollins early on, but it’s clear the Rams have a more defined plan for him than they did with Kenny Young after they acquired him from the Ravens last season.