2024. The year of Quentin Lake. Safety, nickelback, captain. The defensive signal caller, Lake made the defense his own last season as they grew as a unit, a unit responsible for securing the fourth AFC West title in the Sean McVay era.
Lake played a massive role in that achievement as his usage dictated how the Rams attacked the line of scrimmage.
One of the main reasons defensive coordinator Chris Shula was able to organize a second half of the season performance that held opposing offenses at bay while the Rams offense struggled, Shula positioned himself for a head coaching job after this season.
Considering Lake has only one year left on his deal, it would be fair to assume that both men could leave together, as Shula would have his captain to command his new defense.
Falcons head coach and former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris also said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he believes Shula will be a head coach in 2026. The Rams simply can not afford to lose two key pieces of their defense in one offseason, especially when it comes to Lake since that is a situation they can control.
The Rams would have to replace Lake’s solid play and his leadership. While they may have that answer in several players already on their roster, players like Jaylen McCollough or Chris Paul Jr, among others, it would be more advantageous if Lake were running communication through all of them like he is now.
Shula loves to mix up his defense and his scheme. While we could sit down and break down everything he does, his ideology can be defined as "he just be doing stuff."
But the stuff he does works. He brings pressure from every angle and every position. He stacks the line of scrimmage, he blitzes on Hail Mary plays, he mixes ups looks and coverages, and he loves to bait quarterbacks into throwing over the middle.
With all the misdirection, intentional confusion, and lack of similarity in his defensive plans, the Rams need a guy like Lake to make sure everyone is doing their job. One kink and everything gets blown up.
Thus for his mind and play, the Rams must retain Quentin Lake.
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