Latest news with #QuentinLake
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Rams could target this high-profile CB during 2026 free agency
The 2025 NFL season hasn't started yet, but the Los Angeles Rams' most dire roster needs likely won't be resolved by the end of the year unless they make another major trade. The are of main concern going into the year is the secondary, and a few major players are heading into final year of their contracts as well: safeties Quentin Lake and Kamren Curl, cornerbacks Ahkello Witherspoon, Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick. So, it stands to reason that the Rams will likely target that position in the 2026 draft and/or free agency. Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine writes that one big-named cornerback option could be on the table for L.A in DaRond Bland of the Dallas Cowboys. The Rams were expected to be in on the Jalen Ramsey trade market. Unfortunately, only having $19.5 million in cap space this season would have made it hard to take on his contract. The good news is the Rams have the fourth-highest projected cap space for 2026 right now, which means they could get aggressive in landing help at a premium position next season. Thus far, the Cowboys haven't locked up DaRon Bland on an extension. With Trevon Diggs already on the books and Micah Parsons requesting a trade, there's a decent chance he hits the market. Bland has been phenomenal in his three NFL seasons. He tallied 14 interceptions in his first 32 games, including an NFL-leading nine in 2023. He also returned five for touchdowns that season and made the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro squad. Bland sustained a stress fracture in his foot before the 2024 season, though, and missed the first 10 games of the season. He finished without an interception but defended five passes, forced one fumble and recovered a fumble. The price for Bland could be high — Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley signed deals worth $30 million a year recently. But if the Rams want stardom in the secondary, they may need to break the bank for Bland if they don't want to use one of their two first-round draft picks on a cornerback.
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Quentin Lake plays the waiting game regarding his future with the Rams
Safety Quentin Lake and running back Kyren Williams are important players for a Rams team with legitimate designs on a Super Bowl title. Both are in the final years of their rookie contracts. But while the Rams have been in negotiations with Williams about a possible extension, Lake will most likely have to play out the season before his future with the Rams is determined. 'I'm just taking it one day at a time,' he said Tuesday when asked about the situation, 'as long as I take care of myself between these white lines everything will take care of itself.' Lake, a team captain, is scheduled to earn $3.4 million this season, according to He has been a versatile and dependable piece of the defense under second-year coordinator Chris Shula. Last season, Lake played every defensive snap as a safety, nickel/corner and hybrid linebacker. Read more: A secret to Quentin Lake's Rams success? Having his All-Pro dad as a role model The only element missing from Lake's statistical resume are interceptions: He is still looking for his first. On Tuesday, Lake picked off a ball that tipped off Williams' hands. 'If you're hustling to the ball, or if you're in the right place at the right time, something good will happen eventually,' Lake said, 'and that's exactly what happened there.' Lake has been 'invaluable' to the Rams, coach Sean McVay said. 'I've loved everything that he's about,' McVay said. 'And all you see from Quentin Lake is him just continuing to get better, bringing people with him. He is a Ram and I love Q.' How much the Rams are willing to pay to keep him beyond this season remains to be seen. Etc… McVay and Lake started separate news conferences with comments about the shooting at the building that houses NFL headquarters in New York. 'Thoughts and prayers are with the people that have been affected by the shooting at NFL headquarters,' McVay said. 'It's just such a terrible thing. And again you just hope for the best for any of the people that are injured, and then the people that did lose loved ones, we're just thinking about them.'... Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (hamstring) and safety Kam Curl (ankle) did not finish practice. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rams' 25 most important players for 2025 – No. 11: DB Quentin Lake
Quentin Lake was a somewhat overlooked pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 when he was a sixth-rounder who barely played as a rookie due to injury. However, in the last two years, he's not only become a centerpiece of the defense, but also a team captain and signal caller. Lake is entering the final year of his contract, which makes this upcoming season his biggest one yet. After playing just about every snap last year, he's once again going to be a staple in the secondary, someone who can cover the slot, line up in the box or play deep as a traditional safety. The Rams' Swiss army knife is unquestionably one of Los Angeles' most important players for 2025. How he got here The Rams drafted Lake three years ago out of UCLA. He was selected 211th overall in the sixth round but because of injuries, he played just 63 defensive snaps as a rookie. 2024 stats 17 games (16 starts): 111 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 passes defensed, 1 TFL, 2 QB hits, 76 targets, 51 receptions, 571 yards allowed Projected role Lake plays all over the field for the Rams, which is part of what makes him so valuable. Just last season, he played 511 snaps in the slot, 398 as a deep safety, 244 in the box and 48 on the line of scrimmage. He's likely to remain the same versatile chess piece in 2025 that he's been the last two years, especially after the Rams opted not to make a meaningful addition at cornerback by acquiring someone like Jalen Ramsey. Lake was also an ironman on defense, playing every single snap in the first 16 games of last season before getting a rest in Week 18 when the Rams took most of their starters out early. Whether he wears the green dot again or not, he should be on the field on just about every play, whether he's the nickel defender or lined up deep with Kamren Curl. Why he's important Every defensive coordinator would love to have a player with Lake's position flexibility. Chris Shula can put Lake in the slot to cover tight ends and quicker receivers, or he can line him up as a split safety to take away deep passes over the top. Any player who stays on the field for every snap is important, even if the turnovers and game-changing plays don't come in bunches. Lake is still waiting to pick off his first pass and force his first fumble, but his impact and value goes way beyond the box score. He's a great run defender and a sure tackler in the open field, which is why he's at his best when playing close to the line of scrimmage. It's reasonable to think he'll be even better in 2025 as he continues to improve, setting his ceiling higher than ever before. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage! This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: LA Rams' most important players for 2025 – No. 11 DB Quentin Lake
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'He's the linchpin': Rams DC Chris Shula praises Quentin Lake's rising impact
Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake might not be a household name, but within the building, there is no doubt how important he is to the defense. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula praised Lake's role and efforts, as he enters a contract year. From his communication to tackling to versatility, Shula referred to his safety as the "linchpin" of the Rams' defense, and a do-it-all player who helps elevate those around him. 'He's everything,' Shula said following Friday's training camp practice. 'Communicator, he moves around. How I like to say it is he allows us always to get our best guys on the field.' Lake's role isn't just defined by a single position. Shula, in his second season coordinating the team's defense, noted that the former UCLA product has the ability to seamlessly transition from playing nickel to covering receivers in the slot to dropping deep in the post as a safety, all while bringing a physical style of play near the line of scrimmage. 'These days, a lot of times when you are playing nickel, you get put in the run-through,' Shula said. 'You're almost like a linebacker sometimes in a 4-3 defense. He does that. The next thing, he's covering a slot receiver and then the next thing, he's deep playing middle of the post safety. Now he's playing a half field.' In three seasons, the former 2022 sixth-round pick, who has seen his role grow year after year, has recorded 174 tackles, 12 pass deflections, three sacks, and nine pressures. Last season, Lake finished second on the team in combined tackles (111) and first in solo tackles (73) while recording a pair of sacks and seven pressures, all of which were career highs. His ability to play all over the field speaks volumes to his football IQ and toughness, two traits that Shula has praised a ton on the 26-year-old. 'I think he's one of the best tacklers on the team,' Shula added. 'But I think he's probably one of the most underrated physical players in the league. He's always been one of our best tacklers and he's been one of our best communicators—smart. You can do a lot of stuff with him just because you're not going to overload him and he's going to get everybody right around him. In addition, I think he makes the guys around him play better, too.' As the team's 2025 training camp is just underway, Lake's name might not be trending the most, but his impact will surely be felt on every snap. For a Rams defense looking to improve upon its 26th overall ranking from a year ago, having a versatile player who can help anchor the back end and do a little bit of everything his coaches ask of him is everything the Rams value. Follow Rams Wire on X and Facebook for more coverage! This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' Chris Shula praises DB Quentin Lake as LA's do-it-all defender
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rams' 25 most important players for 2025 – No. 11: DB Quentin Lake
Quentin Lake was a somewhat overlooked pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 when he was a sixth-rounder who barely played as a rookie due to injury. However, in the last two years, he's not only become a centerpiece of the defense, but also a team captain and signal caller. Lake is entering the final year of his contract, which makes this upcoming season his biggest one yet. After playing just about every snap last year, he's once again going to be a staple in the secondary, someone who can cover the slot, line up in the box or play deep as a traditional safety. The Rams' Swiss army knife is unquestionably one of Los Angeles' most important players for 2025. How he got here The Rams drafted Lake three years ago out of UCLA. He was selected 211th overall in the sixth round but because of injuries, he played just 63 defensive snaps as a rookie. 2024 stats 17 games (16 starts): 111 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 passes defensed, 1 TFL, 2 QB hits, 76 targets, 51 receptions, 571 yards allowed Projected role Lake plays all over the field for the Rams, which is part of what makes him so valuable. Just last season, he played 511 snaps in the slot, 398 as a deep safety, 244 in the box and 48 on the line of scrimmage. He's likely to remain the same versatile chess piece in 2025 that he's been the last two years, especially after the Rams opted not to make a meaningful addition at cornerback by acquiring someone like Jalen Ramsey. Lake was also an ironman on defense, playing every single snap in the first 16 games of last season before getting a rest in Week 18 when the Rams took most of their starters out early. Whether he wears the green dot again or not, he should be on the field on just about every play, whether he's the nickel defender or lined up deep with Kamren Curl. Why he's important Every defensive coordinator would love to have a player with Lake's position flexibility. Chris Shula can put Lake in the slot to cover tight ends and quicker receivers, or he can line him up as a split safety to take away deep passes over the top. Any player who stays on the field for every snap is important, even if the turnovers and game-changing plays don't come in bunches. Lake is still waiting to pick off his first pass and force his first fumble, but his impact and value goes way beyond the box score. He's a great run defender and a sure tackler in the open field, which is why he's at his best when playing close to the line of scrimmage. It's reasonable to think he'll be even better in 2025 as he continues to improve, setting his ceiling higher than ever before. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!
