Rams LB Nate Landman: No. 21 Player Must Return to Early-Season Form

Rams On SI is counting down the Los Angeles Rams’ top 25 players for the 2026 season. This series continues with our No. 23 player, Blake Corum.

Throughout the Sean McVay era, the Los Angeles Rams have rarely invested in the linebacker position. While they signed Bobby Wagner as a free agent in 2022, it was more about an all-time player wanting to play for his hometown team than the Rams investing at linebacker. In 2025, the Rams signed Nate Landman to a low-value free-agent contract, and he ended up being one of the biggest offseason steals.

Landman had an immediate impact for the Rams, forcing four fumbles and setting a career-high with 132 combined tackles. The Rams signed Landman to an extension in the middle of the season as he became an important part of the defense.

Why Nate Landman is So Important

The Rams typically haven’t invested in the linebacker position, but Landman changed that. In 2024, the Rams had Christian Rozeboom and Omar Speights at linebacker and the run defense struggled. While Landman wasn’t an all-around linebacker, he was consistent when it came to defending the run and tackling.

Landman gave the Rams exactly what they needed at the position, which is reliability. His play-making ability with his four forced fumbles didn’t hurt either. He wears the green dot on defense and is a leader of that unit. While his level dropped after signing the extension, Landman remains a player that the Rams trust.

The Depth Behind Landman

When it comes to the depth at linebacker, the Rams don’t have many options. Shaun Dolac has some upside, but is still an undrafted free agent in his second season. The Rams did sign veteran Grant Stuard in free agency, but he’s more of an option on special teams.

If the Rams were without Landman for a game or two, they could scheme around it and get by with Dolac or Stuard. However, losing Landman for any significant period of time would be a huge hit to the defense. Landman may not be the perfect linebacker, but he’s exactly what the Rams need at the position. They don’t have a clear replacement and if the Rams lost him, they would lose their signal-caller and one of their primary leaders.

What Happens if Things Go Wrong

The Rams have built their defense around a dominant defensive front. If things go wrong at the linebacker position, the defense likely looks a lot like it did in 2024. While it showed upside, it was a unit that often leaked in the run game. The Rams need their linebackers to fit their gaps against the run. If that doesn’t happen, there’s more pressure on the secondary to make tackles at the second and third level.

There were two versions of Landman last season. Before Landman signed his extension following the Week 11 win against the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams ranked third in run defense EPA per play. During that span, Landman ranked ninth against the run via PFF. From Weeks 12-18, the Rams ranked 20th in run defense EPA, while Landman fell to 33rd against the run with the fifth-highest missed tackle rate.

Why We Ranked Landman Here

Last season, Landman showed that when he is playing well, he is a major piece of the engine that is the Rams defense. He’s someone who can make game-changing plays by punching the ball out and creating fumble opportunities. When he fits the run well, the Rams defense is one of the better units in the NFL.

However, because of the positional value of linebacker, Landman doesn’t crack the top 20. The Rams have shown they can survive without standout linebacker play. If other players on defense underperform, it completely changes the math. The Rams need more consistent play from Landman. Still, even if he remains the player that he was after Week 11, the defense should remain effective.

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