Rams safety Quentin Lake only started four games in 2023. But prior to this season, he was voted a captain by his teammates and promoted to a larger role in the secondary.
At the beginning of the year, he was locked into the Rams' "star" role, which served almost as a nickel corner, playing in the slot. But as injuries mounted, he moved back to a traditional safety role. Down the stretch, his job became to fill in wherever the Rams needed him to on a given play. Lake stayed ready for anything, but always deflected credit toward his teammates.
"For them to recognize me as a captain on the team, it was such a blessing," Lake said before the season. "But credit to them for believing in me, respecting me and seeing me as such a high-value player."
Through Week 17, Lake was one of three defensive players to play 100% of their team's defensive snaps. His availability and proclivity for multiple roles in the defensive backfield were crucial for Los Angeles and led to a career year.
"That really was one of my goals coming into this year, to be on the field no matter what," Lake said prior to Week 12. "The workload for me is really just making sure that my body's ready by game time."
Stats
All stats from the regular season and via Next Gen Stats (* = career-high, ^ = team-high). Stops are defined as tackles that result in a successful play for the defense.
| Season | Snaps Played | Tackles | Stops | Passer Rating Against | Catch Rate Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 63 | 8 | 1 | 99.3 | 66.7% |
| 2023 | 428 | 53 | 25 | 98.4 | 63.8% |
| 2024 | 1,040*^ | 111* | 38* | 95.8* | 58.6%* |
Improvements: Versatility, availability and leadership
Apart from Week 18, when he rested along with various other starters, Lake didn't leave the field once in the regular season or playoffs.
"I love it, being out there, being able to communicate, putting guys in position to make plays," Lake said, "but also keeping guys at ease so their head can be clear and they can go out there and play fast, it's nothing but a blessing."
Lake was extremely productive as a tackler in the secondary, generating the lowest missed tackle rate of any Rams player with over 500 snaps (10.7%), via PFF. His pristine form and relentless pursuit of the football were on full display when he made a potentially game-saving red zone stop on star rookie tight end Brock Bowers in a Week 7 showdown with the Raiders.
He was also an influential blitzer, collecting two sacks and 10 pressures in the regular season.
Lake took over defensive communication duties mid-season when linebacker Troy Reeder went down with an injury. The green dot usually goes to a linebacker, as they are in the middle of the defense, but Lake was entrusted with it because of his consistency and leadership role.
His on-field communication was integral to an extremely young Rams defense, both on and off the field. In a year where L.A. started multiple rookies throughout the season, including a few at the safety position, Lake's guidance and voice were often at the forefront.
"I tell (the young players) every time, whenever we go out before a game, I say 'have your celebrations ready,'" Lake said. "We're gonna make a play… Just have fun with it."
Lake said it "puts a smile" on his face to see younger players like safety Kam Kinchens make big plays and receive accolades (he won NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice) because he sees the work that's put in behind the scenes. Kinchens and fellow rookie safety Jaylen McCollough both had four interceptions, leading the team and ranking second among rookies.
Lake's father was Carnell Lake, a defensive back who played 13 years in the NFL and is now a college coach. Having been around the game all his life, Lake's leadership qualities were acute and obvious from the start. This year, he got to exercise them fully as a captain.
"I think there are certain guys (like Lake) that just have a pedigree, a love for this game and understanding of some of the nuances that maybe you wouldn't even realize," said head coach Sean McVay. "I know for me being around this game, I don't even realize some of the things that I pick up until I get into these situations.
"Subconsciously, you've just been around that atmosphere and environment. Q (Lake) talks about it all the time. Him and his dad have an incredible relationship. He was always so interested and inquisitive about what was going on and his dad was so willing to share."
