Rams Linebackers Stepping Up Following Rozeboom Departure

Appreciate or critique him, former Los Angeles Rams linebacker Christian Rozeboom was a key defender on the team's back-seven unit. His impact was sufficient and too great at times throughout the 2024 season for Los Angeles, though a rough start to the season shrouded a good season for the fifth-year player.

However, Rozeboom left for greener pastures this offseason when he signed with the Carolina Panthers to become their projected starter on a one-year "prove-it" deal. This forced the team to address the position in free agency and the NFL Draft with the acquisition of former Atlanta Falcon Nathan Landman and fifth-round choice, Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr..

This means the Rams need their offseason pickups, including other players in the linebacker room, to step up. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula, entering his second season at the position, alluded to it when asked about the loss of Rozeboom.

Who is stepping up?

Shula said second-year linebacker and former LSU undrafted free agent Omar Speights, who became a starter late last season, has progressed in his first full NFL offseason, while Landman has familiarity with the system coming from playing under Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and now-senior defensive assistant Jimmy Lake.

"Having Omar come on late at the end of the year and all he’s done is just progressed. He was in the facility every day this offseason," Shula said. "Then Nathan Landman is just a guy. He comes from some similar language in Atlanta and Jimmy Lake was with him, who's with us now. So he has a lot of familiarity."

May 28, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Shula noted that while it feels like he has players who can communicate well at the second level of the defense, Rozeboom is a key loss and was "one of his guys." Shula has worked with Rozeboom since he was a former undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State and a practice squad player for most of his career until 2023 when he began seeing significant playing time.

"It really feels like we have guys that can communicate and get the defense set, but Rozeboom was one of my guys," Shula said. "I was with him when he came out and when he was just a special teamer and practice squad guy to what he did. And he had an awesome year last year, so it’s going to be a huge hole to fill.”

How the linebacker room shapes out from Week 1 to Week 18 will be a key but underrated storyline for the Rams this season. As head coach Sean McVay and Shula look to get the best players on the field, those types could be the younger players like Speights, Paul, and Buffalo undrafted free agent Shaun Dolac.

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