When the Los Angeles Rams signed veteran free agent Nate Landman, drafted Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr., and signed undrafted free agent Shaun Dolac to the roster, fans celebrated. For the first time in a long time, the team seemed to finally view the inside linebacker position as a role that needed attention. Likewise, for the first time, the team appeared poised to move on from veteran Troy Reeder
The heart of the defense had endured a rough go of it throughout the 2024 NFL season. Under the first year of defensive coordinator Chris Shula, the group needed time to acclimate to the objectives and how to optimize the overall strategy.