Quentin Lake doesn't leave the field for the Los Angeles Rams defense.
So when he was forced into the locker room due to an elbow injury, late in the first half of last Sunday's win over Seattle, it could have been disruptive if not devastating to the Rams chances against a division rival.
Fortunately, Josh Wallace was standing by to step into the void.
"Q-Lake's a brother to me," the 25-year-old from Maryland said. "Just seeing him go down, you know, shakes us up mentally. I was glad we were able to perform and get the win for him. The (defensive back) unit was just saying, 'We gotta get this for Q. We gotta get this for Q.'"
Wallace played 27 snaps on defense against the Seahawks, helping the Rams withstand a late comeback bid by the visitors.
"He's done a great job. Josh is so smart," head coach Sean McVay said on his most recent show. "He can play star, he can play outside corner, he can play safety for us. Just a guy who's so valuable and so versatile. Did a phenomenal job. What we ask of (Lake) 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."
Wallace was a high-level prep basketball player at famed DeMatha Catholic in the D.C. area. But he wanted to play football in college and chose an opportunity at UMass over some potential basketball scholarship offers. After thriving in Amherst, he made the leap to the Big Ten at Michigan as a senior in 2023 and won a national championship along with Blake Corum.
Undrafted in 2024, Wallace caught on as a reserve corner and special teams contributor as a rookie. Then this August, the Rams cross-trained him at safety in the preseason. Now that depth and versatility could pay dividends as LA looks to throw numbers at an injury issue, knowing no one player can replace what they're losing in Lake, a defensive captain who was on track for a career season.
On a new episode of Between the Horns, Wallace reflected on a four-interception day for the Rams secondary, broke the news of his recent engagement, and discussed how his hoops background translates to the gridiron.
Full episodes of Rams Revealed are available on YouTube or in audio format wherever you download your podcasts. Get tickets to see the first-place Rams host the Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium here.
