Latest news with #NateLandman
Washington Post
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Nate Landman shaping up to be Rams' latest quality find at inside linebacker
LOS ANGELES — Nate Landman is shaping up to be exactly what the Los Angeles Rams want at inside linebacker. He has settled in well as an effective communicator and good teammate and looks like a steady contributor on the field. The 26-year-old Landman has been one of the standouts of training camp for the Rams after signing a one-year contract for the veteran minimum salary in March, the kind of cost-effective find at the position that has become something of a trademark during Sean McVay's head coaching tenure in Los Angeles.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nate Landman shaping up to be Rams' latest quality find at inside linebacker
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nate Landman is shaping up to be exactly what the Los Angeles Rams want at inside linebacker. He has settled in well as an effective communicator and good teammate and looks like a steady contributor on the field. The 26-year-old Landman has been one of the standouts of training camp for the Rams after signing a one-year contract for the veteran minimum salary in March, the kind of cost-effective find at the position that has become something of a trademark during Sean McVay's head coaching tenure in Los Angeles. 'I think there's some players that maybe the rest of the league doesn't value, that we value, and we kind of know about inside,' McVay said. 'I think we've had some success with guys that are unheralded.' Outside of one season with six-time All-Pro Bobby Wagner in the middle of the defense in 2022, the Rams in McVay's eight-plus years have tended to employ low-cost options, typically developed from within the organization. That was the case a year ago when undrafted free agent Omar Speights emerged in camp, making it palatable to trade starter Ernest Jones to the Tennessee Titans in the preseason. Jones was a third-round pick of the Rams in 2021 and quickly emerged as a productive player, starting 33 games in three seasons and making 320 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss and three interceptions. But with potential contract discontent looming for Jones last summer and a possible replacement in Speights emerging, Los Angeles chose to move on rather than commit the money Jones was seeking. The Rams made it through last season with Speights and veterans Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder manning the inside linebacker spots. Rozeboom signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract to join the Carolina Panthers in free agency after leading the Rams with 135 total tackles, which set the stage for Landman's arrival. Landman already had familiarity with some elements of the Rams' defensive structure from his time playing for the Atlanta Falcons. Landman worked last season under then-defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, who is now a senior defensive assistant for Los Angeles, and head coach Raheem Morris. 'He practices the right way, a great communicator, fantastic teammate,' safety Quentin Lake said of Landman. 'Great addition for us, and I can't wait to see what he's going to do during the season as well.' Landman started 23 games the past two seasons for the Falcons, making 191 tackles, three forced fumbles and one interception in that span. He will be operating behind a formidable defensive line, which includes five top-90 picks from the past three drafts and key free agent addition Poona Ford, meaning Landman should be in position to make plays. It didn't take long for Landman to make an impression, delivering several audibly impressive hits when the Rams started working in pads. 'You can hear it, you can feel it,' McVay said. 'He's one of those guys.' What has also stood out is Landman's knack for knocking the ball loose, drawing comparisons to defensive back Charles Tillman and his 'peanut punch' to force fumbles. Landman said his proficiency comes from being able to read the situation, especially because he is more adept at using his right hand to attack the ballcarrier. 'Really, it's knowing when your opportunity is to go attack the football without sacrificing the integrity of the tackle,' Landman said. Working effectively alongside Speights, whom McVay expects to make significant improvements in his second season, Landman puts the Rams in position to have another efficient starting pair at inside linebacker. 'He's a glue guy,' defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. 'He can organize the whole defense, he can put a lot on his plate, he's always in the right spot, and you just feel how physical he is.' ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Nate Landman shaping up to be Rams' latest quality find at inside linebacker
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nate Landman is shaping up to be exactly what the Los Angeles Rams want at inside linebacker. He has settled in well as an effective communicator and good teammate and looks like a steady contributor on the field. The 26-year-old Landman has been one of the standouts of training camp for the Rams after signing a one-year contract for the veteran minimum salary in March, the kind of cost-effective find at the position that has become something of a trademark during Sean McVay's head coaching tenure in Los Angeles. 'I think there's some players that maybe the rest of the league doesn't value, that we value, and we kind of know about inside,' McVay said. 'I think we've had some success with guys that are unheralded.' Outside of one season with six-time All-Pro Bobby Wagner in the middle of the defense in 2022, the Rams in McVay's eight-plus years have tended to employ low-cost options, typically developed from within the organization. That was the case a year ago when undrafted free agent Omar Speights emerged in camp, making it palatable to trade starter Ernest Jones to the Tennessee Titans in the preseason. Jones was a third-round pick of the Rams in 2021 and quickly emerged as a productive player, starting 33 games in three seasons and making 320 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss and three interceptions. But with potential contract discontent looming for Jones last summer and a possible replacement in Speights emerging, Los Angeles chose to move on rather than commit the money Jones was seeking. The Rams made it through last season with Speights and veterans Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder manning the inside linebacker spots. Rozeboom signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract to join the Carolina Panthers in free agency after leading the Rams with 135 total tackles, which set the stage for Landman's arrival. Landman already had familiarity with some elements of the Rams' defensive structure from his time playing for the Atlanta Falcons. Landman worked last season under then-defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, who is now a senior defensive assistant for Los Angeles, and head coach Raheem Morris. 'He practices the right way, a great communicator, fantastic teammate,' safety Quentin Lake said of Landman. 'Great addition for us, and I can't wait to see what he's going to do during the season as well.' Landman started 23 games the past two seasons for the Falcons, making 191 tackles, three forced fumbles and one interception in that span. He will be operating behind a formidable defensive line, which includes five top-90 picks from the past three drafts and key free agent addition Poona Ford, meaning Landman should be in position to make plays. It didn't take long for Landman to make an impression, delivering several audibly impressive hits when the Rams started working in pads. 'You can hear it, you can feel it,' McVay said. 'He's one of those guys.' What has also stood out is Landman's knack for knocking the ball loose, drawing comparisons to defensive back Charles Tillman and his 'peanut punch' to force fumbles. Landman said his proficiency comes from being able to read the situation, especially because he is more adept at using his right hand to attack the ballcarrier. 'Really, it's knowing when your opportunity is to go attack the football without sacrificing the integrity of the tackle,' Landman said. Working effectively alongside Speights, whom McVay expects to make significant improvements in his second season, Landman puts the Rams in position to have another efficient starting pair at inside linebacker. 'He's a glue guy,' defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. 'He can organize the whole defense, he can put a lot on his plate, he's always in the right spot, and you just feel how physical he is.' ___ AP NFL:
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rams linebacker Nate Landman wears his pride on body and helmet
The lion's amber gaze fixes forward on Nate Landman's left bicep, its mane fanning across the curve of his arm. Above Landman's wrist, a zebra bends to graze, while a giraffe behind steps through a stand of wind-bent acacia trees. Together, they form a tattooed sleeve of Zimbabwe — an inked landscape of home carried by the Rams' newest defensive signal-caller. 'There's not many Zimbabwe migrants in the United States,' Landman said, 'so to represent my country and have this platform to do it is huge.' At age 4, Landman's family of six traded the southern tip of Africa for Northern California, chasing wider playing fields and educational opportunities for their children. Twenty-two years later, the red soil and wild coastlines of his first home still ride with him — in the way he stalks, strikes and erupts. So when tight end Davis Allen cut through a seam and caught a pass during Saturday's training camp session, Landman tracked him with the patience of a predator. He measured each step, sprang forward and then uncoiled, thumping the ball out of Allen's grip to send it skidding to the turf. After witnessing several of those jarring shots, safety Quentin Lake coined the nickname 'Peanut Punch Landman,' a nod to Landman's ability to force fumbles. 'He has just a knack for the ball,' Lake said. The Atlanta Falcons were the first to detect that hunch, scooping Landman out of Colorado as an undrafted rookie. In each of the last two seasons, he forced three fumbles. That instinct — and the trust he's earned — fast-tracked Landman's role with the Rams. Signed as a free agent in March, Landman wasted little time winning over Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, who stuck a green dot on Landman's helmet, designating him as a commander of the defense. 'The way that he understands the game, he's able to talk to everybody on the defense,' Rams inside linebackers coach Greg Williams said. 'It was almost a no-brainer when coach Shula came to me and said, 'I think Nate should have the green dot.'' And for the Rams, that leadership and knack for creating turnovers came at a bargain. In a defense that doesn't spend big at linebacker, Landman — who signed a one-year, $1.1-million contract — arrived as a low-cost addition with high potential return. 'He's a great communicator. He's got great command. He's got the ability to elevate people,' coach Sean McVay said, adding, 'I just like the way that this guy's got a great vibe.' Read more: Why Ahkello Witherspoon is the 'Yoda' of the Rams defensive corps Before Landman became an on-field general for the Rams, he was in teacher mode, offering teammates a primer that had nothing to do with playbooks. During a team meeting, Landman unfurled a map of Africa, tracing its outline with his finger before shading the small patch of land he calls home — wedged right above South Africa — to give his locker room a visual pin on where his story began. 'A lot of guys don't know that Africa, the continent, is full of just individual countries,' Landman said. 'They think it's states and stuff. So it's cool to be able to share that with them — not everybody believes when I say I'm from Africa.' Amid that crash course, one question kept resurfacing. Are there lions and deer roaming around? 'A lot of people are fascinated,' Landman said. 'It's such a rare thing, that's why I'm so proud of it.' Though it's been a few years since Landman last stood on Zimbabwean soil, his family ties still tether him there. And as football sent him crisscrossing the United States, his homeland's hues and emblems have come along for the ride. The tattoo sleeve climbs into his chest, framing a map of Africa with Zimbabwe shaded deep. He still eats sadza nanyama, the maize-and-meat staple that fed his childhood. And in his parents' home, light falls on a gallery of African vignettes and keepsakes. His helmet bears the same allegiance, Zimbabwe's flag tagged proudly on the back. 'I love wearing that Zimbabwe flag on the back of my helmet,' Landman said, 'and I'll do that as long as I'm in the NFL.' Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
6 players who stood out in the first week of Rams training camp
Every practice counts during training camp, especially for players who might be on the roster bubble or vying for one of the few available starting spots. The Los Angeles Rams have gotten some standout performances from a handful of players already, and there's still a week of practice to go at Loyola Marymount. Gathering reports out of camp from this in attendance, as well as reading into comments from coaches and players in their press conferences, here are six players who have seemingly stood out in a positive way during the first week of practice. LB Nate Landman Landman has been everything the Rams expected and more. He's stood out in practice as a leader on defense, wearing the green dot as the signal caller – and essential role on every team, one that requires a player to stay on the field for just about every snap. Landman has a nose for the football, as evidenced during his time with the Falcons, and that's carried over to Rams camp. He made one of the highlight plays Saturday when he punched the ball out of Davis Allen's arms to create a turnover on defense. CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. Forbes was on the roster bubble at the start of the offseason but he's pushing his way onto the roster. He's had a great start to camp after bulking up in the weight room, playing like the ball hawk he was in college. The Rams' receivers are all tough assignments but Forbes has more than held his own in practice, even when getting reps with the first-team defense. If Forbes can take the next step as a defender, he'll be extremely valuable to the Rams this season, potentially even rising into a starting role. WR Jordan Whittington Tutu Atwell might still be the frontrunner in the race for WR3, but Whittington is seemingly neck and neck. Whittington made a catch in double coverage on the first day of camp Wednesday and scored a long touchdown on a deep pass Saturday, so he's making plays left and right. Whittington and Atwell are completely different players in terms of their skill sets, which should allow both of them to play meaningful roles this season. But with Whittington's combination of quickness, physicality and ability to create yards after the catch, he'll be hard to keep on the bench. RB Blake Corum From the videos coming out of camp, Corum looks like he's got plenty of juice out of the backfield. He looks quick and explosive, which is something the Rams need more of from their running backs. Kyren Williams remains the starter but Corum is going to push for snaps more than he did last year as a rookie. That's great news for the Rams as they try to keep everyone fresh and healthy for the duration of the season. Here's Corum breaking off a long touchdown run with some nifty cuts in the hole. CB Cobie Durant Durant is a player to watch in the secondary, in part thanks to his versatility in the slot and the outside. He's off to a fantastic start in training camp, breaking up multiple passes in the first day of practice and continuing to stand out in the next three days. Neither Ahkello Witherspoon nor Darious Williams plays in the slot, so if the Rams need a defender on the inside when Quentin Lake plays safety, Durant might be their guy. No matter where he lines up, the Landshark seems to make plays in coverage. WR Konata Mumpfield Mumpfield is a seventh-round rookie who plays a position the Rams are fairly deep at, so he's got his work cut out for him. He's standing out early on with some solid days of practice, including a good performance on Saturday where he was busy catching a bunch of passes. He might need to earn his strips on special teams before getting opportunities on offense but he's pushing to at least make the 53-man roster. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams training camp: 6 standouts from the first week of practice
