Countdown to Camp is a series breaking down the Rams roster by position group heading into training camp. The sixth installment examines the defensive backs.
Amid the speculation about the Rams potentially re-acquiring Jalen Ramsey, head coach Sean McVay made it clear: Whether that came to fruition or not, the team was comfortable with its secondary.
"No, I feel good about where we're at," McVay said in late May, when asked if he would add to the secondary if the team cannot add Ramsey. "Obviously, Jalen's a unique deal, but I think we all feel this way in terms of the guys that have played. We've gotten a lot of guys that have played meaningful ball at the corner position (and) at the safety (position). We've got some different guys that can flex between safety dime, linebacker, the nickel star spot. I think that the way that guys will approach, similar to the previous question, there are a lot of young guys, or maybe even guys that are new to the Rams but have accumulated a bunch of experience that I think are only going to continue to take steps."
Ramsey was ultimately traded from the Dolphins to the Steelers earlier this month. And as Los Angeles heads into training camp with the same defensive backfield as it did this spring, its experience and emerging players headline the group – and reinforce McVay's belief shared a couple months ago.
Cornerback Cobie Durant and safety Quentin Lake enter 2025 with three seasons' worth of starting experience. The Rams re-signed veteran cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, and seven-year pro Darious Williams returns. Second-year cornerbacks Josh Wallace and Charles Woods gained experience over a handful of games during their rookie seasons. At safety, Kam Curl will look to build off a productive first season with the Rams, and Jaylen McCollough and Kam Kinchens already have a foundation of tying for the team lead with four interceptions each as rookies last season.
In terms of emerging players, Emmanuel Forbes Jr. – a late-season waiver claim last winter – drew praise for his playmaking and overall increased comfort in the Rams' defensive system.
"Forbes is bulking up, looking good, but I think what's been awesome is, and we talked about this at the very beginning, having an understanding of what we're trying to get done," McVay said in mid-June. "He comes in in the middle of the year, and you could see I really liked his demeanor, I thought he did a good job in the Seattle game when he played last year, but really understanding some of the things that (assistant head coach/pass game coordinator) Aubrey (Pleasant) is teaching him and how do I apply it in these team settings? He's got great movement. He's got a really good concept trigger. You can see the ball production where he's doing things that had never been done before at the collegiate level in terms of being able to get your hands on the ball and then go score. I've really been pleased with him."
