Quentin Lake - can he get his flowers

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WestCoastRam

WestCoastRam

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Lake has quietly taken his game to a level I did not expect and became a defensive star in this system this year. His individual performance has elevating both the cornerback room AND the LB room with what he provides at the nickel. Dude is a huge reason why the team is having the defensive success we're having.


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Great thread!! Lake is quickly turning into one of my favorite players on defense to watch. Was surprised and disappointed he didnt get a game ball in London. He deserved one!
 
Allen2McVay said:
Of the Rams’ 2026 unrestricted free agents, Lake and Landman are the two I most hope the Rams re-sign.
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Yep, those are the two that I would like to keep, too. I would also like to resign Witherspoon but he won't cost much.

The issue with keeping any of them is that we will have a lot of tough choices in the 2026 off-season.

Here are our critical free agents and extension candidates:

Lake
Landman
Garoppolo - Depends on what happens with Stafford, but it seems McVay would be comfortable going with Jimmy G, if necessary.
Puka Nacua - He definitely deserves an extension now.
Kobie Turner - Can they afford to extend now?
Byron Young - He's playing like one of the best edge defenders in the league. His price to extend is shooting up.
Steve Avila - Given his injury issues and up-and-down performance, he's the one I feel we can wait to extend.

That's 7 players that can all cost a lot of money, and we haven't even mentioned if we should resign Curl and Durant. There are some painful decisions coming up.
 
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DzRams said:
Puka Nacua - He definitely deserves an extension now.
Kobie Turner - Can they afford to extend now?
Byron Young - He's playing like one of the best edge defenders in the league. His price to extend is shooting up.
Steve Avila - Given his injury issues and up-and-down performance, he's the one I feel we can wait to extend.
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All good points but this response is focused on the above four players from the 2023 Draft Class (McClendon and Evans were also part of that draft class).

I agree that any can be (perhaps should be) extended before the 2026 Season, especially Nacua. However, 2026 is the 4th and final year of their rookie contracts; and, even if they are extended early (2026 off-season) they will all play-out their rookie deals in 2026, with the extensions going into effect beginning in 2027.

The cap space should be there. The question is in 2027 and going forward. That's one reason I pushed-back on the suggestions the Rams make a trade for big-$ stars like Jeffrey Simmons or Denzel Ward.
 
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Can't extend them all. A few will be free agents. And a few eligible for extensions in their 3rd year. Puka is a no brainer. Don't mess around. Get it done quickly. Then look at Turner and Young. Maybe they can wait a year. Or maybe they hold out. Or maybe they get deals done. I don't know. I think we need to keep them both whatever we do. Avila can definitely wait a year.

Lake and Landman should be re-signed. Durant if he comes cheap enough. Otherwise let him walk. Two first round picks next year. They can find a good corner with one of those.

Unless they're thinking about packaging those picks to move up for Stafford's eventual replacement. Before the college season I thought next draft would be a good QB draft. But none of those guys are separating themselves from the pack. So I don't know anymore.
 
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It looks to me like the Rams can afford Stafford thru 2026. Then we need a rookie contract to hold onto our guys.
 
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Allen2McVay said:
All good points but this response is focused on the above four players from the 2023 Draft Class (McClendon and Evans were also part of that draft class).

I agree that any can be (perhaps should be) extended before the 2026 Season, especially Nacua. However, 2026 is the 4th and final year of their rookie contracts; and, even if they are extended early (2026 off-season) they will all play-out their rookie deals in 2026, with the extensions going into effect beginning in 2027.

The cap space should be there. The question is in 2027 and going forward. That's one reason I pushed-back on the suggestions the Rams make a trade for big-$ stars like Jeffrey Simmons or Denzel Ward.
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Good point.

If there is a signing bonus that would affect the 2026 cap, but for the most part, I agree that the extensions would go into effect beginning in 2027.

That said, you don't believe that the decision to extend those four players to large contracts would affect whether they can afford to sign free agents such as Lake and Landman to long-term contracts? At the end of the day, it's still 6 players that they have to decide how many they can afford to have on the books long term.
 
I don't think Snead will sign Lake to a big 2nd contract. He'll use the draft per usual to restock the position. His mind as far as the defense is concerned is on two players. Turner and Young. Which of those two, if either, will the Rams try and sign to a 2nd contract.
 
DzRams said:
...

That said, you don't believe that the decision to extend those four players to large contracts would affect whether they can afford to sign free agents such as Lake and Landman to long-term contracts? At the end of the day, it's still 6 players that they have to decide how many they can afford to have on the books long term.
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Long-term ... after 2027 ... it's tough to say.

Short-term ... 2026 and 2027 ... I think the Rams should be in good cap shape. Per OTC and Spotrac, the Rams are currently scheduled to have the 4th Most Cap Space heading into the 2026 off-season.
 
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Allen2McVay said:
Long-term ... after 2027 ... it's tough to say.

Short-term ... 2026 and 2027 ... I think the Rams should be in good cap shape. Per OTC and Spotrac, the Rams are currently scheduled to have the 4th Most Cap Space heading into the 2026 off-season.
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Perfect timing :giggle: here's hoping we can get all our guys resigned. Verse will likely want to be resigned after next year as well.
Continuity is a beautiful thing, and I think our HC/GM knows this.
 
JonRam99 said:
Perfect timing :giggle: here's hoping we can get all our guys resigned. Verse will likely want to be resigned after next year as well.
Continuity is a beautiful thing, and I think our HC/GM knows this.
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I agree but your post may anger @gogoat1.

HC/GM is short for Head Coach / General Manager.
 
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