THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams added a new, young quarterback on Monday, claiming Brandon Allen off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Allen, a sixth-round pick out of Arkansas last year, comes in as the No. 3 quarterback behind Jared Goff and Sean Mannion. Rams coach Sean McVay said he has “a great deal of confidence” in Goff and Mannion, and that the Rams will simply “be able to develop [Allen] and see how he does.”
Allen was one of five players released by the Jaguars on Sunday, in order to create room on the 53-man roster for the five players they claimed through the waiver wire. At one point during the preseason, there was talk that Allen may get a shot at starting over Blake Bortles and Chad Henne, but it never materialized. Allen showed flashes but threw three interceptions in the preseason finale. He turns 25 on Tuesday, joining a quarterback depth chart that includes a 22-year-old Goff and a 25-year-old Mannion.
McVay admittedly doesn’t know much about Allen, but quarterbacks coach Greg Olson had him on the Jaguars last year, when Olson served as the team’s offensive coordinator.
“His tape has merited the claim,” McVay said, “and I think we feel good about that.”