Rams' 25 most important players for 2025 – No. 11: DB Quentin Lake
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.
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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: LA Rams' most important players for 2025 – No. 11 DB Quentin Lake
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