Rams reward LB Nate Landman with solid payday to keep him in L.A.

The deal is worth $22.5M over three years with $15.6M guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, a solid payday for the fourth-year linebacker, especially after signing a one-year, veteran-minimum deal in Los Angeles earlier this year. Landman has started every game this year with a 93% snap share and a team-high 91 tackles playing alongside Omar Speights in the middle of the Rams defense. He also leads the NFL with four forced fumbles.

Nate Landman gets security with three-year deal

Landman, 27, is now under contract through 2028, giving him a long-term home after failing to find one this offseason. He signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and appeared in seven games as a rookie, primarily on special teams. In 2023, Landman stepped into a starting role alongside Kaden Elliss and finished third on the team with 110 tackles. Leg injuries at the beginning of the 2024 season briefly landed him on injured reserve, but he came back and recorded 81 tackles in 13 games, plus three forced fumbles for the second year in a row.

As a proven starter with a history of solid tackling and impact plays, Landman was expected to draw No. 2 linebacker interest in free agency this offseason. Instead, he took a $1.1M offer from the Rams and earned himself 20 times that with his strong start. He could have played out the year to maximize his next contract, but the risk of injury, comfort in his new home, and relatively low career earnings as an UDFA were enough to motivate an in-season extension.

Los Angeles does not normally invest in the linebacker position, but Landman’s $7.5M-per-year deal has undeniable appeal. It ranks 25th among linebacker contracts, per OverTheCap, an excellent value for a full-time starter. Six teams are paying one linebacker as least twice as much, while three teams have two linebackers with a $7.5M APY or more. The Rams will now have Landman alongside Speighs, a second-year UDFA, for 2026 and likely 2027, giving them an inexpensive linebacker duo and the financial flexibility to invest heavily in other parts of the roster.