Quentin Lake and Nate Landman have earned a ton of respect from their defensive coordinator
The Los Angeles Rams’ defense has been one of the best in the NFL this season. They rank second in points allowed and 10th in yards, giving up just 20 total points in their last three games combined.
Two key players have had a major impact on that side of the ball in 2025, one of them being an offseason newcomer. Linebacker Nate Landman and defensive back Quentin Lake are two captains of the defense, leading the way as standout players for the Rams this year.
Defensive coordinator Chris Shula has been impressed by both defenders, specifically for their football intelligence and communication on the field. Shula shared high praise for them during his press conference Thursday, saying they would each be “excellent coaches” if they want to go down that road someday.
“It really feels like they’ve known each other forever,” Shula said. “They played in the East-West game together in college and in the same conference coming out. They’ve been pretty close really since Nate got here. They are like two coaches on the field. If those guys ever wanted to coach, they would be excellent coaches and it’s great to have them. They’re really extensions of the coaching staff. There’s a lot of stuff that they’re suggesting to us that we do and we’re listening to them. It’s always back and forth and they take stuff into their own hands. Those are two of the best communicators I’ve ever been around. We’re lucky to have them.”
Lake was the defensive signal caller last season, wearing the green dot and relaying calls to the rest of the unit. This year, Landman has taken over that duty as the middle linebacker and wasted no time becoming a leader on defense.
It’s no surprise that they were both voted captains this season, earning the trust and respect from their teammates. The Rams are fortunate to have two players like them, but with free agency looming for both in 2026, they’ll need to work out a couple of contracts in order to keep them in L.A.
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