Blake Martinez is the star inside linebacker on this roster — that’s already known. He was one of the top players on this defense last season and should continue to be in 2021.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham could thus utilize a matchup-based rotation at the other inside linebacker spot in a 3-4 scheme — Zaven Collins would be a great fit for that type of situation.
He, the recently re-signed Devante Downs, and pending second-year man Tae Crowder would be reliable complements to Martinez, and if he became more accustomed to the speed of the game as time progressed, there’s a chance Collins would then locate a more significant on-field role.