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After trading away Ernest Jones in 2024, the Los Angeles Rams struggled to find consistent play from their inside linebackers. Christian Rozeboom was not the answer, so the Rams took a shot on Nate Landman in free agency last year. He had experience in Raheem Morris' defensive scheme, so Los Angeles viewed him as a good fit for Chris Shula.
And it was a chance that paid off brilliantly. Landman played so well early in the season that he earned a three-year, $22.5 million extension with the Rams in November, keeping him under contract through 2028. His play fell off slightly in the second half of the season and playoffs, but he was still a valuable member of the defense.
Landman ranks 15th on our list of the Rams' 26 most important players for 2026.
How he got here
In free agency last year, Landman originally signed a one-year contract worth $1.1 million with just $75,000 guaranteed. It was a modest deal for the former Falcons starter who had his sights set on proving his worth across the country in Los Angeles.
In a bigger spotlight for the Rams, Landman stood out with a strong season and earned himself some long-term security midway through the year, setting career-highs in tackles, sacks, forced fumbles, tackles for a loss and pass breakups.
2025 stats
17 games (17 starts): 132 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 interception, 4 forced fumbles, 8 tackles for a loss, 5 QB hits, 6 passes defensed
Projected role
Landman will once again be the Rams' primary inside linebacker and signal-caller on defense. He held that role all of last year, manning the middle on all three downs. The Rams didn't make any notable additions at inside linebacker outside of Grant Stuard, who's more of a special teamer, so they're committed to Landman (and Omar Speights) for the upcoming season.
Where Landman must improve is in coverage. He's not the fastest linebacker so he can struggle with playing in space, particularly when asked to cover tight ends and running backs. But against the run, he takes good angles and attacks the ball when the opportunity presents itself, punching it out four times last year.
One thing to know
Including the playoffs, Landman forced five fumbles, according to Pro Football Focus, which was two more than any other linebacker in the NFL. He also had three in each of the previous two seasons, giving him 11 in the last three years combined.
Why he's important
The Rams defense badly needed a steady presence in the middle of the field after giving up on Ernest Jones and Landman has been a terrific replacement. He doesn't have the same playmaking ability as Jones in terms of coverage and interceptions, but he created a handful of turnovers for the Rams last season by knocking the ball out with perfectly executed "Peanut Punches."
Not to mention, he's a valuable leader on defense, relaying the calls from Shula to the rest of his teammates on each snap. His presence as a run defender had a noticeable impact on Los Angeles last season after struggling against the run in 2024, clogging up the middle with Poona Ford, a fellow 2025 newcomer to the Rams.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' 26 most important players for 2026 – No. 15: LB Nate Landman
