The Los Angeles Rams lost the top member of their secondary on Sunday when Quentin Lake suffered an elbow injury in the win over the Seattle Seahawks. It’s unclear how long he’ll be out but Sean McVay indicated Monday that Lake will miss at least a little bit of time – potentially even requiring an IR stint.
After Lake went down, the Rams inserted Josh Wallace into the lineup as their “star” defender in the slot and he played great. Moving forward, he’s someone who could fill in for Lake at the star position, while also showing the ability to play outside corner or safety.
McVay raved about Wallace’s skill set and versatility on the “Coach McVay Show” Monday, saying he did a “phenomenal job” against the Seahawks.
“He’s done a great job. Josh is so smart,” McVay said. “He can play star, he can play outside corner, he can play safety for us. Just a guy that’s so valuable and so versatile. And he came in and almost played 30 snaps. Did a phenomenal job. What we ask of Q is amazing, especially at the star position. … Tip of the cap to Josh. We’ll see what this looks like moving forward but he’s always stepped in and the game’s never too big for him.”
The Rams do also have Roger McCreary, who they acquired from the Titans, as a backup option. McVay said Cobie Durant played the slot a little bit after Lake got hurt, too, so that adds to Los Angeles’ options, as well.
But it sounds like Wallace will get the first crack at taking over Lake’s role, which is the biggest opportunity yet for the former undrafted cornerback.
This offseason, Wallace transitioned from corner to safety, while also getting reps in the slot. His versatility is what earned him a spot on the 53-man roster and could now land him a role in the starting lineup.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ Sean McVay raves about potential Quentin Lake replacement
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