Position battles won’t start to really heat up until training camp in July but players are still trying to showcase their abilities during spring practices. At the same time, coaches are beginning to evaluate which players might be in position to earn starting jobs this season.
One position to keep an eye on is the “star” role, which Jalen Ramsey typically played as the slot defender. Quentin Lake took over that spot in 2023 and was presumed to remain there next season, but that may not be the case.
During his press conference on Tuesday, defensive coordinator Chris Shula was asked about the star position and he mentioned two players who have done a good job in that role so far: Russ Yeast and Derion Kendrick. Lake could still be competing for snaps at the star position despite Shula not mentioning his name, but it appears Yeast and Kendrick are getting the snaps there right now.
“Yeah, Russ and ‘DK’ have been doing a great job kind of switching in that spot. And it’s always a spot that – there’s a lot of nuances to it,” Shula said. “It’s guy that’s got to be smart. He’s got to understand the defense. A lot of stuff goes through that guy and he’s got to be able to tackle. He is got to be the hit blocks, but that’s all 11 on defense. So we’re just looking for the best mix of guys and those guys have been doing a great job so far.”
Lake did an excellent job as the Rams’ nickel defender last season, recording an overall grade of 71.2, according to PFF. He only missed two tackles and broke up five passes, allowing a completion rate of 70.8%. He was also very good in run defense, earning a grade of 77.4 in that department.
Kendrick has almost exclusively been a boundary cornerback in his NFL career thus far, only playing nine total snaps in the slot in the last two seasons, while Yeast came into the league as a more traditional safety rather than a nickel defender.
Training camp and the preseason will really determine which player starts in the star role but right now, the Rams are at least giving Yeast and Kendrick a shot to play there.
