Since Sean McVay was hired in 2017, the Los Angeles Rams have largely avoided making any major commitments to the linebacker position and typically look to go the cheap route, whether that means trading Ernest Jones or letting Cory Littleton depart in free agency. Aside from that one time they signed Bobby Wagner — and cut him after one season — the Rams go for value over everything when it comes to linebackers.
Such was also the case in 2025, as the Rams parted ways with leading tackler Christian Rozeboom and instead signed former undrafted free agent Nate Landman to a one-year, $1.1 million contract in free agency. Almost six months later, Landman has been named as a team captain of the defense as he looks to parlay a strong training camp into a long-term contract.
Will it happen with L.A. though?
Landman went undrafted out of Colorado in 2022, signing a deal with the Atlanta Falcons when Arthur Smith was still the head coach. He failed to make the team as a rookie but was signed back to the practice squad, eventually getting called up for seven appearances, mostly on special teams. After signing a futures contract in January of 2023, Landman earned a starting role on Ryan Nielsen’s defense and finished third on the team with 110 tackles, as well as two sacks and an interception.
Set for an even bigger role in 2024, the first with Raheem Morris, Landman spent four weeks on IR with calf and quad injuries, but appeared in every other game and made nine starts. He finished 2024 with 81 tackles, but Morris opted to go in a different direction at linebacker this year, perhaps to his old team’s benefit.
Landman was voted by his teammates as a captain, which McVay said was due to a “really high emotional intelligence” and that he was quickly accepted and liked by other Rams players.
The 26-year-old Landman will start alongside Omar Speights, but as to his future with the Rams? It’s always smart to look to the past when trying to figure out the future and McVay’s history with linebackers does suggest that this could be a short-lived audition that Landman really needs to nail if he wants to be back with the team on a raise in 2026:
Undrafted free agent rookie Shaun Dolac was also impressive in camp and preseason. The Rams could very well see Speights and Dolac as the 2026 version of a linebacker duo that makes less than $3 million combined and that would go for at least two more seasons.
However, Landman being named as a captain in his first few months with the team highlights how natural he is as a linebacker and as a leader. Could he be the one who finally bucks the trend?
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