It seems the Atlanta Falcons have very few recent decisions that aren't aging poorly. Across the league and throughout the Falcons roster, there is no shortage of examples of Atlanta mistakes. One recent example is linebacker Nate Landman, who has become a star for the Los Angeles Rams. The defender was rewarded with an in-season extension, with NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reporting the deal.
Rapoport detailed the extension: "Nate Landman agreed to terms on a 3-year, $22.5M deal with $15.6M guaranteed, source said. He was playing under the veteran minimum deal of $1.1M this year."
This points out the fact that the Falcons could've easily returned the defender to the current lineup and had a clear upgrade over their current starting options alongside Kaden Elliss.
This would be far easier for Falcons fans to overlook if it were an outlier and not the growing expectation. It seems players have far easier roads after leaving the Falcons, and the players Atlanta doubles down on often appear to result in underwhelming results. Kirk Cousins, Kaleb McGary, Kyle Pitts, and Matthew Judon jump out as recent examples of the franchise failures.
Former Falcons Defender Nate Landman Earns Impressive with Los Angeles Rams
For Landman, this is an incredible development for a player who has more than earned his way to the first notable extension of his career. The linebacker was undrafted in 2022 before signing with the Falcons and eventually working his way into a starting role. One that the Falcons would've been wise to keep for a linebacker who has now piled up numbers for the Rams.
It is important to note that Landman was dropped into a perfect situation with a defense that already had its fair share of stars. All the defender needed to do was play at a consistent level, and the level of play was going to be propped up by the pieces around him. Still, there is no taking away the impressive production or the fact that it appears to be another clear mistake for the Falcons.
For Atlanta, the franchise has left a frustrated fan base with nothing better to do but to look at past players and wonder what could've been. Atlanta hasn't been to the playoffs since the 2017 season, and doesn't appear to be close to changing this anytime soon, sitting at 3-7 on the year.
While Landman might not have changed this fact, you're at least far closer and have the needed depth at a struggling position. Leaving Falcons fans yet another reason to be frustrated with a group of decision makers that continue to make life harder for this roster and its fans.