The Rams have loaded up on defense, and the result looks like a unit built to bully opponents from every angle. Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald, Trent McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson are all new pieces on that side of the ball, and that kind of talent gives Los Angeles a real chance to field the best defense in the NFL.
But even a roster this stacked can have a pressure point, and ESPN’s Ben Solak sees it at linebacker with Nate Landman. Not because Landman is being overlooked for some hidden ceiling, but because he may be the one spot that determines whether this defense reaches its top gear or trips over itself.
“But if something goes wrong, the linebacker spot feels like the culprit,” Solak writes. "...
I'm a Landman believer. But if 2025 was a magical season whose heights cannot be recaptured, opposing offenses will quickly put him under the microscope as the one Achilles' heel on the Rams' defense."
That’s the heart of the concern. Landman broke out in 2025 and looked like a solid starting linebacker, but if that season turns out to be the high-water mark, the Rams could find themselves with a weak seam in an otherwise intimidating defense.
The front should make life miserable for quarterbacks, which means offenses will have to work the short areas of the field and try to steal yards where they can. That puts even more weight on Landman’s role. He’ll need to hold up in coverage and be active against the run, because that’s where the stress points will show up.
He still has the chance to quiet the doubts and turn this into a non-story in 2026. But right now, he’s the one player on a star-studded Rams defense who could decide whether all that upside actually holds together.
In Other News...
Seahawks Just Invited A Serious Character Debate With This Signing
The Rams are heading into the season with one of the leagues biggest names on a different kind of workload, as Aaron Donalds revised contract lowers his base salary but layers in performance incentives and points to a limited snap count each game. For a team that has leaned on Donald as the centerpiece of its defensive identity, the adjustment is a reminder that Los Angeles is managing more than just talent now. It is managing how much of that talent can realistically be asked to carry every week.
Across the division, Seattles decision to sign cornerback Terrion Arnold despite pending felony charges has already pushed the conversation beyond football into character and judgment. GM John Schneider said the team is confident in Arnolds character based on its evaluations, which only sharpens the contrast for a Rams team watching a rival make a bet that will be scrutinized from every angle. In a division where every roster move gets magnified, this one is likely to linger well past the announcement. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Secondary Suddenly Has A New Question Before Week 1
The Rams had hoped Zech McPhearson would be part of the late-summer depth chart after signing him in August, but his stay with the team ended quickly once he landed on injured reserve later that month. Before the 2026 regular season opener, Los Angeles terminated his contract with an injury settlement, a move that clears the way for both sides to move on while the team continues sorting out its cornerback room.
What makes the situation notable is the lack of detail around it. The Rams have not disclosed the nature of McPhearsons injury or the terms of the settlement, leaving one more opening in a secondary that was already trying to establish its pecking order heading into Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
George Kittle Just Changed The Feel Of Rams Week 1
George Kittles return to the field has quickly become one of the bigger variables hanging over the Rams Week 1 prep. The 49ers tight end, still coming back from the torn Achilles he suffered in the playoffs, has been activated off the physically unable to perform list and traveled with San Francisco to Australia, where he also practiced in encouraging fashion.
For the Rams, that matters because the opener had looked like it might come without one of the leagues most difficult matchup problems at tight end. San Francisco also cut Brayden Willis, a move that only adds to the sense that Kittle is trending toward being available when the teams line up, and it gives Los Angeles one more thing to account for as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]