'Woah!' Nate Landman Opens Eyes, Forces Falcons to Consider Expanded Role

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Nate Landman shined in his first professional start - to the extent that he has the coaching staff exploring ways to get him on the field.

From the moment he went undrafted in Apr. 2022, all linebacker Nate Landman needed was an opportunity.

And in the Atlanta Falcons' 25-24 comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers last Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Landman received in his chance ... and capitalized.

The 24-year-old Landman played in all but one of Atlanta's 50 defensive snaps in place of starting linebacker Troy Andersen, who was in concussion protocol.

After playing just one defensive snap the week before, Landman put his heightened usage to good work, recording four tackles and a tackle for loss.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith noted postgame that Landman "stepped up" in Andersen's absence, allowing his instincts and heavy hands to shine.

Better yet, in the aftermath of Sunday's game, praise for Landman has only increased with more time to evaluate the film - just ask Falcons assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray.

“I thought he did a fantastic job," Gray said. "When you look at the runs, our (defensive backs) watched the run plays and he was just hitting guys, and I was like, ‘Woah, that’s amazing.’ That’s what you want. You want linebackers coming downhill hitting guys."

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Landman played in seven games as a rookie, recording one tackle and a quarterback hit while primarily playing on special teams in his limited action.

The 6-3, 235-pound Landman will likely be used in a similar role this season, so he's ascended up the depth chart to now stand as Atlanta's No. 3 linebacker behind Andersen and free agent signee Kaden Elliss.

In the season-opening 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Landman played 17 special teams snaps, which equated to 65 percent.

With the NFL largely shifting to two-linebacker formations while rolling with five defensive backs, being the third linebacker doesn't, in theory, bode well for Landman's defensive playing time ... but he made a big statement against Green Bay.

And now, according to Gray, the Falcons' coaching staff has something to ponder regarding the utilization of the team's linebackers upon Andersen's return.

"He had to step in for Troy and he made the best for him," Gray said. "So all of sudden, we’re like, ‘Hey, do we need a three-linebacker package?’ We as coaches, we’re looking around like, ‘Hey, how can we get all three of them on the field at the same time?’

"Because when you’ve got guys like that and they’re willing to play and that’s your 12th, 13th or 14th player, those guys are going to help you down the road."

Nonetheless, Landman's emergence gives the Falcons an additional option if either Elliss or Andersen miss an extended period of time.

That said, Smith said Wednesday that he feels good about where Andersen is at in his recovery; he remains in concussion protocol but was a full participant in practice Wednesday and appears to be trending upwards.

The Falcons truly value what Andersen brings to the table. His 6-4, 235-pound frame paired with 4.42 40-yard dash speed gives defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen plenty of versatility in how to utilize the former second-round pick.

As such, there's considerable excitement about what Andersen can become, and the Falcons are already seeing early returns from Elliss, who leads the team with 16 total tackles through two games.

But Landman, who had a stellar offseason and forced his way onto the Falcons' 53-man roster, is generating quite a bit of buzz in his own right ... and may just cause Smith, Nielsen and Gray to find different avenues to get him on the field this fall.