The Los Angeles Rams will be without one of the best players on their defense as safety Quentin Lake is set to miss at least a few weeks in a best-case scenario. There hasn’t been an official diagnosis on Lake, but Rams head coach Sean McVay noted on Monday that he thought, “it might be a little bit of time for him.”
At the very least, Lake could miss an important stretch of the Rams’ season. However, being out for the year also isn’t out of the question. Per Adam Grosbard of the LA Daily News, Lake and the Rams have been consulting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache who is an LA-based surgeon, specializing in knee, shoulder, and elbow injuries. Lake may be able to avoid surgery, but it’s something that is seemingly being discussed.
Lake’s absence isn’t something that can just be dismissed. The NFL is all about ‘next man up’, but every player is not easily replaceable. Prior to the injury, Lake had played in all 634 of the Rams’ defensive snaps. He was the only defensive player to have played every single snap this season. As McVay said,
“You don’t replace a Quentin Lake. He’s so valuable for so many reasons with what he can do, with who he is as a human, with the way that he elevates and leads. He is a glue guy for us. I think it would be insincere to think that you’re going to ask somebody to do the things that he’s capable of. It’s what makes him so special.”
While Lake is going to be difficult to replace, it’s also not impossible. Ironically, the move that the Rams made at the trade deadline may end up being one that saves their season. When the Rams traded for Roger McCreary at the trade deadline, it was thought that they might use him to expand Lake’s role rather than use him exclusively in the slot.
Since being traded to the Rams, McCreary has played exclusively on special teams and has yet to take a defensive snap. With Lake hurt, that could change. When McCreary was brought in, the move was somewhat confusing as he was primarily a slot defender which was where Lake thrived. However, with Lake injured, McCreary could step into that role.
Still, it’s very possible that the Rams stick with familiarity as McCreary continues to get accustomed to the defense. With Lake out, Cobie Durant played his most snaps from the slot this season. It was only 10 snaps, but he had played two snaps from the slot in the previous nine games combined.
Additionally, the Rams may look to insert Josh Wallace into that role. The former undrafted free agent cornerback from Michigan has transitioned more to safety this year. Wallace played 19 snaps as a free safety in Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s also where he primarily played in the preseason. With Lake out, Wallace played 20 snaps, which included 20 from the slot.
Durant may be the better player, but his size limits the physicality required to play the STAR role in the defense consistently. With how Durant is playing this season, it also may not make sense to significantly change what he’s doing. The Rams have specifically trained Wallace in the star role and may be a better fit there in the short term.
While it’s disappointing that Lake is going to miss time given the season that he’s had, the Rams will have options. The Rams traded for McCreary with the idea that he could play this role. Durant and Wallace bring experience and familiarity with the defense. Hopefully the Rams can get Lake back for the stretch run at the end of the season. However, until then, they should have the depth to get by.
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