As soon as the Los Angeles Rams traded away veteran ILB Ernest Jones IV before the 2024 NFL season began, they forced themselves to scramble to establish the right pair to lead the defense. The team opted for its two most established veterans left on the roster, ILB Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom. And that began the challenges to the overall defense that would not be resolved until Reeder fell to injury, replaced by undrafted rookie ILB Omar Speights.
With Speights on the football field, Rozeboom's production skyrocketed. That was not because Rozeboom finally figured out his role. Rather, Speight's gritty, run-stuffing presence on defense allowed Rozeboom to play his more natural type of game, which included a rangy off-ball linebacker who gave up ground but tried to eliminate explosive plays. Of course, we know in hindsight that he was only partially successful.
We did a deep dive later in the season to determine why Rozeboom and Speights were ideally suited to pair up with one another. Speights plays similarly to former starting ILB Ernest Jones IV. With Speights fiercely attacking the line of scrimmage, Rozeboom no longer needed to.
So it's not simply a matter of starting the two most physical linebackers, but rather ensuring that the Rams inside linebacker tandem complements one another.
Gritty run stuffers
The more obvious group of inside linebackers are the players who have the reputation of physicality, plugging the holes, and shedding blockers. In 2024, the best example of that is 6-foot-1, 228-pound ILB Omar Speights. But this year, he has stiff competition in 6-foot-3, 235-pound veteran inside linebacker Nate Landman.
In the trenches, size matters, and Landman has shown up as a bigger, stronger, and more experienced version of Omar Speights, and that has translated into Landman getting the lion's share of reps with the defensive starters. It was that duplicatous style and scope fron Landman overlapping Speights that confused me when the Rams signed him. But Landman was not signed to back up Speights, but to start in his place.
Rangy pass coverage
The Rams extended veteran inside linebacker Troy Reeder, and that was not something that was well received by fans. But it was a necessary addition, as the team needed to ensure that a rangy veteran linebacker was on the roster to start in 2025. But then the team added two rookies, and the entire complexion of this defense improved dramatically.
With the Rams drafting rookie inside linebacker Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr. and signing rookie inside linebacker Shaun Dolac after the draft, the Rams added two hard-hitting linebackers whose forte includes pass coverage that rivals that of a defensive back. Both Paul and Dolac can cover like velcro, and not only can deflect passes intended for a receiver, tight end, or running back, but can generate turnovers in the form of interceptions.
While the Rams tend to give veterans the nod over rookies, comments by LB Coach Greg Williams suggests that Reeder's presence on the roster is akin to training wheels on a bicycle. If true, the team could view Reeder as an unneeded insurance policy that can be cancelled before the 2025 NFL season begins.
Tweener ILBs
The Rams have shown a willingness to retain inside linebackers who show flashes or promise but are not quite ready for a full contributing role in their defense 6-foot-0, 222-pound veteran inside linebacker Tony Fields II and 6-foot-0, 227-pound second-year inside linebacker Elias Neal fit into this category. Somewhat like the hybrid S/LB role that has become quite popular in the NFL recently, they are linebackers who have a bit of run defense blended with a bit of pass coverage to be intriguing, but have not shown enough consistency to earn more than a cameo role.
Of course, training camp is the best time to show up and impress coaches, and that is certainly the goal for both Neal and Fields in 2025. But with the team finally showing interest in investing in the position in free agency, the draft, and post-draft, the chances of claiming a roster spot are even more difficult this year.
But after all of this, the Rams coaching staff has to pair up the right duo. In other words, the projections that pit Omar Speights alongside Nate Landman seem to run counter to the logic of the role. Speights and Landman are both run stuffers, which makes the middle of the defense susceptible to pases. It would make far more sense to pair Landman with Pooh Paul Jr., thus ensuring the best of both worlds.
Christian Rozeboom excelled after Omar Speights suited up because he had an opportunity to play to his strengths. The Rams must learn from 2024 and keep their linebacking decisions aware of who, and who should not, take the football field together.
As always, thanks for reading.
