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znModeratorRams Wire@TheRamsWire
Jaylen McCollough is a former undrafted free agent who Sean McVay considers “so valuable” and “so versatile” for the Rams.Jim Youngblood 53@53_jim70721
Rams defense — after the Bills game — was good … until giving up 250 yards rushing in playoffs.And as I have said the Rams dime defense (or nickel with dime personnel, whatever you want to call it) that package is elite.
they took steps to play the run better and the dime/nickel defense is already dangerous
Rams “dime” is actully nickel defense with a DB playing “dime linebacker”
But McCollough has key role in defense as dime LBer,
…
Here McCollough has the #3 – matched final #3 pic.twitter.com/H86ykCKNOJ
— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) July 29, 2025
znModeratorznModeratorTyler Davis is a name to watch for 2025. The second-year defensive end showed impressive power in individual and team drills, and was later lauded by Turner for his consistency. McVay likewise name-dropped him after Monday’s practice.
“Tyler Davis is another guy that deserves to be mentioned, because he has really shown why he’s a total stud and guy that’s going to be a major factor for us,” McVay said.
Here’s some draft year stuff on Davis, recycled.
…
1.
from https://www.therams.com/news/tyler-davis-nfl-draft-defensive-lineman-clemson
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The 6-foot-2, 301-pound Davis was a First-Team All-ACC performer for the Tigers in 2023 after producing 34 total tackles (3.5 for loss) while starting all 13 games. It was the third-straight season he earned First-Team all-conference recognition, going back to the 2021 season.2.
PFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
Tyler Davis: 91.1 run defense grade since 2022 (3rd among DTs)3.
OURLADS
6.98 Davis, Tyler |Clemson| Apopka, FL| Proj Rd: 3-4. Height:6020 | Weight: 301| 40:5.02| Arm:3138| Hand: 0914|Wingspan:7500
Four year starter. Four time all ACC and three time 1st team all ACC in 2021 through 2023. Consensus all America in 2022. Compact thick frame to go with athleticism for an interior defender. After phenomenal freshman year in 2019 he suffered through injuries in 2020 and a good portion of 2021. He was healthy for the most of part in 2022 and 2023 and he flashed the ability that made him an elite prospect. Powerful at the point of attack with a high motor and effort to the ball. At the snap, he can penetrate gaps showing body control to work through the slip blocks. Physical attacking a block, he uses a strong punch to separate along with a violent rip move to shed. Excellent lateral agility, he can redirect off the block and react to an agile ball carrier in traffic Has range in pursuit and his hot motor is on display chasing across the field, his physical tackling and can stop a ball carrier in his tracks. As a pass rusher he’s quick at the snap and shoots his into a blocker to stun before working into a move. Can be relentless working the edge of a blocker and using an arm under or push pull off the bull rush to escape. Once free he can chase and adjust to the quarterback. His lack of length is not an obvious hindrance, but it shows up at times working through a block. Has problems with double teams and is occasionally washed out. Doesn’t always maintain leverage and his pad level can get upright at times. The injury question lingers, but he has shown elite skill and has been a highly productive player. 2023 stats : 34 T, 3.5 TFL, .5 sack, 3 QBH. OSR: 38/41.
4.
from https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2024-nfl-draft-grades-all-32-teams#LAR
Davis was a monster against the run in college.
znModeratorRams’ Chris Shula is Finding His Rhythm
The Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator is building the NFL’s next premier defenseBrock Vierra
In the race for the Super Bowl, one thing is guaranteed. While the event is to be held in San Francisco, to win the Lombardi, the Rams must be able to win across the Mississippi.
Unless the Rams do something they’ve never done under Sean McVay, which is to clinch the number one seed in the NFC, they will likely have to win on the road come playoff time. Last season, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay held home playoff games.
All three teams possess stout offensive lines, complex passing attacks, and power on the ground.
If the Rams are to hold their hill, are to protect their endzone, their defenders must play in unison, operate as one to suppress the relentless, versatile attacks of the East.
The Rams gave defensive coordinator Chris Shula an arsenal of weapons and he has put them to good use.
On the defensive line, the boys in the trenches remain young and relentless. Jared Verse has been the vocal leader up front, a modern John Randle. However, it’s been Kobie Turner who has been the most impressive. He has dictated his will on the interior with the linebackers supporting, providing coverage of the gaps with communication across the line.
It’s clear that Omar Speights and Nate Landman are the two best off-ball linebackers on the team, with the level of communication between them and with Quentin Lake being crucial to their success.
They’re the field commanders. Lake is relaying messages to the secondary while Speights has taken on more of a see-ball, get-ball role, refined with strong play in coverage. Landman has the green dot and has shown he’s able to make the calls and then make the plays.
However, the most impressive unit so far has been the secondary. The Rams have been criticized for their lack of addressing the room, but now that we’re at camp, it’s clear they’re taking back aerial superiority from the offense with hard-hitting, selfless performances.
Emmanuel Forbes is starting the play like a first-rounder again, going toe to toe with Davante Adams. Forbes did get burned on one play on Saturday, but shook it off to make several nice plays following, including a pass breakup on Adams.
Lake has been Shula’s versatile piece, while Derion Kendrick has impressed on the outside.
The safeities have played within the defensive structure, providing a dome that is hard to throw over.
But the most important part is that when the team takes the field, his defense is playing lights out in the red zone. Once the field shrinks, they put up an impermeable wall.
Shula controls the air, he’s built his defense to stop the run, and he’s able to scheme up pressure on the board while having the confidence to let his front four hunt.
Jared Verse stated the secondary has been playing so well, he’s now able to use his entire tool belt of pass rush moves because he knows he has the time to get home.
If the Rams wish to return the Lombardi to the West, their defense must continue to hold firm when they travel east.
znModeratorBrock Vierra@BrockVierra
3 Immediate Takeaways From Rams training camp1. Poona Ford…Oh my goodness. He defeats double teams with ease.
2. Jimmy Garoppolo looks calm and confident, delivering precise passes
3. Jaylen McCollough is on the verge of a big year
znModeratorStu Jackson@StuJRams
Working on a story on Kevin Dotson, and one question I asked him was simply why he loves being a Ram.Everything from the team to the people and the environment around it makes him want to give his all.
znModeratorDavante Adams details ‘natural connection’ with Sean McVay, mutually beneficial relationship with Rams’ WR room
Wyatt Miller
LOS ANGELES – When wide receiver Davante Adams walked into the Rams’ facility for the first time and laid eyes on head coach Sean McVay, he breathed a sigh of relief. After admiring each other from afar for many years, they would finally get to go to battle together.
Adams said they’ve built a “natural connection” that started when McVay was calling him in Japan this summer to recruit him to L.A. During the first week of Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union, they could often be spotted chatting before practice or on the sidelines.
“I value it every time (we talk),” Adams said. “I mean, it may seem organic, but sometimes I seek it. I’ll see him over there and I’ll go walk over and I just know he gonna say something either funny or something that we can all grow from. He’s just that type of person.”
Just as McVay has left an imprint on Adams, the All-Pro wide receiver has done the same for his position group. Adams said the transition to Los Angeles has been “smooth” and they’ve built “a good foundation” during the offseason. He’s even picked up a few things from the younger players.
“I’ve really been enjoying the way the mastermind (McVay) has been able to kind of conduct some stuff over there,” Adams said in reference to the Rams’ offseason program. “Well, the masterminds, there’s a lot of people involved, but it’s just been fun, and like I said, the best part for me is just getting to know the guys and hanging out with them every day.”
One of those guys is fellow star Puka Nacua, who insisted that Adams lead position group drills during training camp so that he could see how the All-Pro approaches each rep.
“I laughed at it first because he was saying it almost like he’d been wanting to say it for a long time, but he didn’t really know how to say that,” Adams said.
But he recognized Nacua’s offer not only as a show of respect towards Adams, but as a way of helping his own progression. Adams said they talk through a lot of technique, so it’s easier for Nacua to watch Adams’ reps before he does it himself, as opposed to straining his neck to look back at Adams after just running a route.
The best questions he’s gotten from fellow wide outs have revolved around how he dissects coverages, as he so often wins on choice routes. Adams tries to simplify the answers as much as possible so that they, like him, can know what the defense is running and use that against them.
Adams isn’t “a walking wise-man” who drops nuggets of wisdom at every turn, he explained with a smile, but whenever something comes up, whether it’s in the meeting room or on the field, he chips in advice about how to get open or execute certain rotes.
“Me having seen a lot of doubles and different brackets and different things, I’ve had to look at coverage differently than other people and kind of take a deeper dive,” Adams said. “That part is actually some of the most enjoyable part of this thing for me, the cerebral game.”
Every day, things come up that someone in the Rams receiver room wants advice on, and Adams is happy to oblige. But the veteran also takes things from his younger teammates. It’s not that he’s discovering techniques he’s never seen before, but Adams said “the wheel’s always being reinvented,” so when something works, he takes note of it.
He mentioned rookie wide receiver Konata Mumpfield as someone who’s ran good routes and changed his pace advantageously. Adams feels like “a proud dad” watching Mumpfield work through his failures and then succeed after talking things through.
As Adams said earlier this offseason, the lack of a “dark cloud” hanging over his new facility is refreshing. All the good things he heard about McVay and the Rams’ culture have materialized, and that’s been a pleasant surprise.
“Everything that glitter ain’t gold, but this is looking pretty golden over here,” Adams said.
znModeratorFive Surprise Performers From Rams 2025 Training Camp Week One
The Los Angeles Rams have had some surprise performancesBrock Vierra
The Los Angeles Rams concluded their initial four-day training camp practice block and there were several surprising performances that could be the catalyst to big-time performances once the team puts on pads.
1. Blake Corum
I thought Corum was an afterthought in terms of his Rams career due to a rookie season where he was underutilized. That doesn’t seem to be the case. Corum has been heavily utilized in camp and has looked phenomenal.
Looking just like his Michigan days, Corum has flashed the breakaway speed, the vision between the tackles, and the ability to turn the corner at a moment’s notice.
2. Konata Mumpfield
When Davante Adams does eventually leave the Rams, Mumpfield might be the guy to not only replace him but also become one of the greatest receivers in franchise history. I’m talking Torry Holt level career.
Mumpfield has hands for days, but his feet are incredible. He’s almost like a bigger Hunter Renfrow, which means he’ll be effective on third down, but he’s also able to just straight up mess somebody. He made Quentin Lake almost run on air with a move so bad, no one was within five yards of Mumpfield.
3. Jordan Whittington
While Mumpfield has looked promising, Whittington is the promise that delivered. Whittington has made unreal catch after catch, burning the Rams’ secondary. Once he puts the pads on and can hit, this could be where Whittington establishes himself as a starter. A YAC monster, he’s a perfect player for Sean McVay to scheme up anywhere on the field.
4. Nate Landman
Landman has been the Rams’ best linebacker so far, excelling in coverage and run defense, with the ability to communicate and coordinate attacks across the line.
5. Davante Adams
Oh, Davante Adams? Yeah, no duh. That’s probably the first thought that comes to mind seeing his name, but we all knew coming into camp, Adams was good. However, through limited reps, Adams showed the team he wasn’t good. He’s not even great. The man is playing at an Offensive Player of the Year level.
Adams can not be guarded one-on-one; he’s unstoppable on the inside, he’s running as fast as ever, and his breakaway speed is honestly frightening. To be frank, Davante Adams kind of scares me because no human should be able to do what he does.
He runs like a gazelle, jumps like a leopard, and through camp and OTAs, despite being the most targeted wide receiver, I can only remember a handful of passes that hit his hands and weren’t able to be hauled in. Adams looks like the 2021 version of himself.
znModerator10 Observations from Day 4 of Rams Training Camp: ILB Nate Landman continues to impress and a competitive 2-minute drill
Wyatt Miller & Stu Jackson
LOS ANGELES – Day 4 of Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union was the longest yet, and featured some spectacular plays on both sides of the ball.
On defense, inside linebacker Nate Landman continues to shine while outside linebackers Jared Verse and Byron Young made some noise. Offensively, competitive situation drills and deep passing headlined the day.
Senior staff writer Stu Jackson spent the afternoon watching the offense, while staff writer Wyatt Miller watched the defense. Here are notes on each unit:
Offense
1) A back-and-forth two-minute drill. This situational work was the most competitive period of the day, with the first team offense going against the first-team defense. After quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had a pair of passes broken up by cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes (one each), he responded with an intermediate completion to Puka Nacua, then a deep completion to Davante Adams before spiking the ball to stop the clock for a series of field goal attempts by kicker Josh Karty.
2) Going deep. One of Garoppolo’s best passes of the day came on a ball he launched down the left sideline to Adams, who made the catch look easy.
3) Going deep Part II. Quarterback Stetson Bennett also had an impressive deep completion when he connected with wide receiver Xavier Smith for a big gain during team drills.
4) Konata Mumpfield impressing. While most of the attention has been on Nacua, Adams, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington so far, rookie Mumpfield was a standout on Saturday with the movement and separation skills he displayed. His best catch of the day was on a short pass near the sideline from Bennett in tight coverage during team drills.
5) Whittington remains consistent. The second-year wide receiver was once again a reliable target for Bennett throughout team drills, and also hauled in a impressive touchdown reception during team drills on a perfectly-placed pass by Garoppolo.
Defense
6) ILB Pooh Paul and CB Ahkello Witherspoon out with calf injuries. McVay said they are “being smart” with Paul, but did not give a specific timeline, and said Witherspoon is “day-to-day” as both nurse calf injuries.
7) Nate Landman displays command of the field and huddle. Landman set the defensive sideline into uproars when he punched the ball out of tight end Davis Allen’s hands during red zone drills, and the fumble was recovered by cornerback Darious Williams. He was a leader in the huddle once again and McVay was complimentary about his leadership skills.
“He’s a great communicator,” McVay said. “He’s got great command. He’s got the ability to elevate people. He’s got a great feel for attacking the football… He’s just got some natural leadership traits and communication skills where he understands what’s going on from an All-22 perspective. And I think when you’re talking about a guy that’s at that inside linebacker position, it’s key and critical, and he’s done a great job leading the way for that group.”
8) Young gets consistent penetration. Young beat multiple opposing tackles to pressure the quarterback and collect some sacks, or at least they would have been if contact was permitted. His bull rush was powerful, his moves were twitchy and his quickness was on full display. He also ran down speedy rookie Jarquez Hunter on a run to the outside before he could turn the corner. It looked like Young’s offseason pilates training has paid off.
9) Verse’s competitive edge comes out. Verse was hounding the quarterback all day. His constant trash talk and aggressiveness led to a teaching moment with McVay.
“One of the things that makes Jared great is that edge that he plays with,” McVay said. “I can remember it’s the same things that Aaron (Donald) and I used to talk about when he was playing… You don’t want to take that away from him, but you want to make sure that you’re able to reset from one snap to the next. We always talk about, let’s respond, let’s not react, and I like the way that he finished practice.”
10) Troy Reeder picks off Bennett. Near the end of practice, Bennett tried to thread the ball between defenders in the middle of the field, but Reeder leapt in front to snag the interception.
znModeratorLos Angeles Rams Camp Day 4 Recap Including Rookie Standout
Nikko Buenavidez, w/ LAFB
The Los Angeles Rams wrapped up Day 4 of training camp with high energy on both sides of the ball.
Veterans like Davante Adams and Kyren Williams continued to set the tone, while rookie Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith, and Blake Corum flashed with standout plays.
The defense made timely stops and created turnovers, while the offense leaned heavily on its running backs in the pass game. A few key injuries emerged, including an update on Matthew Stafford’s back.
Los Angeles Rams Offense
Davante Adams continues to dominate reps. McVay called him “an amazing football mind.” He’s leading by example and looks like he could challenge Puka as the top WR.
Kyren Williams looks explosive again. He’s been active in the pass game and is showing elite burst.
Blake Corum is settling in. The rookie is finding his footing and running more confidently.
RBs were heavily used as pass catchers for the fourth straight day, clearly a new core part of the offense.
Tutu Atwell got behind the defense on a deep route but couldn’t connect with Garoppolo.
Jordan Whittington remains steady and reliable. Caught a touchdown from Jimmy and was a frequent target for Bennett.
Los Angeles Rams Rookie Konata Mumpfield had his best day. Created separation consistently and made a contested sideline catch from Bennett.
Xavier Smith hauled in a deep ball from Bennett for a chunk play down the sideline.
Tight ends are splitting roles. Ferguson is being featured more in the passing game, while Higbee is primarily blocking.
Jimmy Garoppolo was efficient at times but inconsistent. Took a sack and threw a pick.
Los Angeles Rams Defense
Troy Reeder picked off Jimmy G. Solid day for the veteran LB.
Nate Landman forced a fumble on Davis Allen during red zone work, recovered by Darious Williams. McVay praised Landman’s communication and leadership. He’s been the starting cover LB.
Byron Young consistently beat tackles and applied pressure. Also chased down Jarquez Hunter on a wide run.
Jared Verse was disruptive again. Had to be coached by McVay on managing his edge, but the intensity is real.Injury Updates
Matthew Stafford is week-to-week with back soreness, per McVay.
Ahkello Witherspoon is dealing with a calf injury.
Chris “Pooh” Paul Jr. is also dealing with a calf injury. The Rams are being cautious with his recovery.
znModeratorI did not mean to imply that it is a lingering injury from the end of the season. I don’t even know if I would call it an “injury.” He has had back “soreness” previously, and he’s played great. But I am concerned that back “soreness” is a Fred Wagner collision short of a back “injury.”
You made me write that whole long reply just based solely on me misreading you? 😐
Anyway. I don’t quite yet sense McVay being in his suppressed-panic type denial while lying to the public about the severity of injuries mode. I could be wrong.
znModeratorMatthew Stafford is the key name to watch throughout the remainder of training camp and the preseason. Originally, Sean McVay reported that Stafford would miss the first week of training camp practices because of back soreness. Now, the signal caller will be week-to-week because of his back lingering. Fans are naturally worried because the last time Sean McVay mentioned a training camp injury for Stafford it was related to his throwing elbow in 2022. That turned out to be a year long issue for the quarterback resulting in his worst season as a Ram.
znModeratorhis back hasn’t recovered. I can’t just close my eyes to this. It’s a concern.
He was throwing in OTAs. That was just 2 months ago.
And according to his wife, the injury Stafford played through at the end of last season was broken ribs. The spell with broken ribs was in the last 4 or 5 regular season games. Then after that, with recently recovered ribs, in 2 playoff games he averaged 22.5 completions out of 35.5 attempts (63.4%), throwing for 266 yards per game, 2 TDs per game, and in those 2 games got an avg. qb rating of 107.4.
Near as I can recall no one mentioned his back as having issues last season.
I don’t know anything about his current back problems, but this is not an injury that continued from last year.
….
July 27, 2025 at 10:08 am in reply to: alaric jackson … blood clots? DJ Humphries … any good? #157208znModeratorAlaric Jackson seems to be making good progress
It was a great sign that Jackson didn’t start camp on the PUP or NFI list, allowing him to participate in practice even in a limited capacity. By Friday, he was taking part in team drills during the jog-through and remained a participant on Saturday, too.
The Rams will take it as slow as needed with Jackson as he deals with blood clots in his leg but as McVay said, there’s a “very real possibility” that he’ll be on the field in Week 1. That would be fantastic news for the Rams, even though they’re confident in D.J. Humphries as the backup plan; Humphries has been getting first-team reps in practice, as well.
znModeratorThe secondary will be better than expected this season
There’s no lack of depth in the secondary this year, which is encouraging. The safety group features a terrific trio of Kamren Curl, Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough, while the cornerbacks are led by Darious Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon, Quentin Lake and Cobie Durant.
Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Josh Wallace are two players who could contribute, as well. That gives the Rams a ton of options on defense, especially with Lake’s versatility.
Durant has made some splash plays in camp by breaking up passes and sticking close to receivers in coverage, while Forbes has been tasked with covering Davante Adams in practice and has done a nice job, as well. Forbes is the wild card in this group because if he can take his game to the next level as a starting-caliber player, the Rams will be flush with cornerback talent.
The secondary as a whole could go from being a perceived question mark to a strength on defense.
Forbes vs. Adams. pic.twitter.com/ijYdrzqq2n
— Allen Sales (@AllenSales) July 26, 2025
znModeratorNate Landman has emerged as the leader at inside linebacker
Before camp began, it looked like a four-horse race at inside linebacker with Landman, Omar Speights, Chris Paul Jr. and Troy Reeder. After one week of practice, it’s clear Landman has emerged as the frontrunner in that group.
He was wearing the green dot in Friday’s jog-through and has been working with the first-team defense, relaying calls from Chris Shula to his teammates on the field. Sean McVay couldn’t be more impressed by the Rams’ offseason addition, saying he’s “done a great job leading the way for that group.”
“He’s been awesome. He’s a great communicator,” McVay said. “He’s got great command. He’s got the ability to elevate people. He’s got a great feel for attacking the football. He got another punch-out today. I just like the way that this guy’s got a great vibe. He’s just got some natural leadership traits and communication skills where he understands what’s going on from an all-22 perspective. I think when you’re talking about a guy that’s at that inside linebacker position, it’s key and critical. He’s done a great job leading the way for that group.”
If he can put together a breakout season, it’ll elevate the play of the entire defense after the Rams struggled at that position last year.
Peanut punch by @_Nate_Landman! 👊 pic.twitter.com/dh0eMLi659
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) July 26, 2025
July 27, 2025 at 9:23 am in reply to: interviews: Verse, Avila, Fiske, Dotson, Higbee, Turner, Lake x 2, Nacua, Whit #157205znModeratorLAFB exclusive with @J_Whitt3 ! We talked Year 2, learning & growing in the Rams offense, and Rams’ player development.#RamsHouse #NFLTrainingCamp #LAFBNetwork pic.twitter.com/w5vT5fxtAJ
— FootballByNikko (@FootballByNikko) July 27, 2025
znModeratorBrock Vierra@BrockVierra
3 Immediate Takeaways from Rams TC1. Whittington and Mumpfield are playing like starters
2. Quentin Lake was phenomenal the whole day..except for when Mumpfield changed directions on him
3. Nate Landman…just wow. Absolutely incredible stuff.
July 26, 2025 at 3:58 pm in reply to: Rams tweets … 7/18 – 7/26 … including, Rams lose coach #157199znModeratorVerse is different https://t.co/htN2aJZqDj
— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) July 26, 2025
July 26, 2025 at 3:55 pm in reply to: alaric jackson … blood clots? DJ Humphries … any good? #157198znModeratorMike LaFleur impressed by OT D.J. Humphries early in Rams training camp https://t.co/KD3xCAKLcl pic.twitter.com/4cbFYKa5AN
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) July 26, 2025
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D.J. Humphries has only been at the facility for a short amount of time, but the Los Angeles Rams’ veteran tackle hasn’t taken long to make a strong impression.
The longtime Arizona Cardinal joined the Rams back in June, a move the organization made after starting left tackle Alaric Jackson was diagnosed with blood clots. Humphries, who the Cardinals drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, brings in a decade of experience to the Rams’ offensive front and has a reputation for being one of the more dependable left tackles in the league.
Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur knows all about Humphries from his time coaching with the San Francisco 49ers and what has stood out is the man within the helmet and jersey.
“I’ve unfortunately, or fortunately, gone up against him a lot over the last six, seven years,” LaFleur said. “So I’ve always respected his game. But I didn’t know him personally until we brought him in.”
That all changed quickly when Humphries arrived in Southern California just before the team made its way out for Maui camp in Hawaii.
“We got him so late in the summer, I didn’t really know what to expect,” LaFleur added. “But just in these past few days, it’s clear, he’s a professional. A real pro. It’s awesome to have him.”
July 26, 2025 at 2:45 pm in reply to: Rams tweets … 7/18 – 7/26 … including, Rams lose coach #157197znModeratorWhat’s Davante Adams’ role going to look like in the Rams’ offense? 🎯@heykayadams | @tae15adams | @RamsNFL #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/LLZZOAC8wp
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 25, 2025
znModeratorLos 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.
…
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.”
…
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.
Quentin Lake had an outstanding game on Sunday. The team captain made 3 straight TD saving plays in the red zone to help secure the victory late in the 4th quarter
Highlighted by this 3rd down stop that shows great instincts by #37. I love the commentary call by Kevin Harlan pic.twitter.com/PyvgNdcAmC
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) October 22, 2024
znModerator…as he heads into 2025, Verse admitted he knows what he needs to correct. And he told reporters at training camp that he was instructed by former Florida State and NFL defensive tackle Cory Simon to specifically watch all of his bad plays from the 2024 season.
“He said, ‘Hey, you had a good season. Congratulations on all you’ve done but go watch the whole season, not just your good plays but the bad plays.’ So I’ve watched every game probably about three/four times each,” Verse said Thursday. “Just watching everything I’ve done wrong and everything I’ve done right. And you realize how many bad plays you had with all the accolades and all that stuff. You realize how much [more] you can grow. And, don’t let your head get too high because now, I’m thinking of how much better I can get. People are like, ‘oh, you’re good, you’re good.’ No, I’ve got so much farther to go.”
znModeratorActive QBs known for late-game heroics 🔥👏 pic.twitter.com/Bis6Cvqmmv
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) July 25, 2025
znModeratorFootballByNikko@FootballByNikko
Day 2 notes:
Jordan Whittington continues pushing for WR3
Whittington had a great day, I’d expect him to make a solid push for WR3 this seasonCovey & Whittington as PR/KR
Terrance Ferguson looked like a big body receiver
Williams featured more often in the passing game
Jimmy G held the ball too long a few times
Offense showing major versatility
znModeratorBraden Fiske yesterday on Rams FA acquisition Poona Ford: "He's twitchy and he gets moving in the pass. I think he could be a key piece and maybe even the missing piece that we needed."
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) July 23, 2025
…
Poona Ford levels up Rams defense
It’s impossible to think about the future of the Rams defense in 2025 and not ask a basic but all-important question:
How will this team stop the run?
And there it is. The one flaw that bit the Rams defense repeatedly in 2024. As if that wasn’t enough, the Rams face the top five running backs from 2024, plus RBs Christian McCaffrey, James Conner, and Kenneth Walker III twice. So stopping the run is not a luxury. It’s a matter of survival.
It’s not a topic that we can saturate in one article. This is far too important to gloss over. But the Rams did take steps to improve their run defense, and the first step was signing former Los Angeles Chargers run-stuffing savant, nose tackle Poona Ford.
Ford is a small but powerful nose tackle with long reach to ensure that he gets and maintains the upper hand against offensive linemen. And now that the Rams training camp has begun, he is already impressing his teammates….Embedding Poona Ford in the middle of the defense not only adds his resolute run defense to the defensive front but also adds a rising tide of run defense to all of his teammates as well.
znModeratorPoona Ford, now with Rams — clips
he's short, but his arms are not. He has longer arms than Braden Fiske, for example. He plays with good hands and good base
here Poona gets under the LG, then 'long arms' him to stop the block, sheds to make tackle pic.twitter.com/sOZdii7jgT
— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) March 11, 2025
znModeratorWyatt Miller@wymill07
Asked Jared Verse yesterday about impressions of new OTs David Quessenberry and D.J. Humphries after going against them in practice the last two days. He had a very complimentary response:July 25, 2025 at 9:56 am in reply to: Rams tweets … 7/18 – 7/26 … including, Rams lose coach #157186znModeratorReminds me of what @wyche89 said earlier this month here (and I agree with him) about the importance of the secondary to the defense and the team's overall potential: https://t.co/3xPtTG3hIE
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) July 25, 2025
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