Watch Rams Chris Shula's Second 2025 Training Camp Press Conference

After practice, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula spoke to reporters.

Watch Chris Shula's Press Conference Below

Shula spoke last week during training camp on the state of his defense.

Q: What is Quentin Lake's impact on the field?

“He’s the linchpin. He’s everything," stated Shula. "Communicator, he moves around. How I like to say it is he allows us always to get our best guys on the field. He can play nickel. These days, a lot of times when you are playing nickel, you get put in the run through. 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. He does all these different techniques and I think he's one of the best tacklers on the team, 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.”

Q: Could you talk about Jared Verse's development entering year two?

We all know each other a lot more. He understands the defense more. He understands when he can take his play ops. He's the guy that really likes to be coached hard and when your best players like to be coached hard, I think that sets the culture for the whole defense. He's the guy that we try to hold accountable for playing within the scheme of the defense and playing hard every single play. He's the guy that wants to be held accountable to do that. It's fun just seeing him take growth and take a step more of a leadership role and the more of a vocal role. [Former Rams’ Defensive End] Mike Hoecht was the voice in that room last year. So him and [Linebacker] ‘B.Y.’ [Byron Young] have combined to take those roles because they’ve played so much football.”