“We Are L.A. Strong!”

(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: Saludos, Greetings, and Attention All of our Rams followers and fans!! Here’s the first multiple players’ media availability via a “Zoom” Press Conference, well before the start of the new season. We present it here in our posting as a “Jumbo” transcript version of their time spent with the local media that covered it this past Monday.

This edition will feature the elite foursome of Matthew Stafford, Rob Havenstein, Kobie Turner, and Quentin Lake. It is a very long read, so please bookmark it if you have to and return to it at your leisure, or you can choose to take in all of the responses at one time that were given first-hand to the media, who asked a wide range of questions to all of the players.

So, as we’ve always recommended to our followers when it comes to these highly informative transcripts, this is one of the best ways that Rams fans can learn directly from the players themselves on what they’ve worked on in the off-season and what their expectations are for each of them, for the team, for all Rams’ fans, for our great citizenry here in the City of the Angels, as well as for all of Southern California. 

Rams Transcripts – QB/Matthew Stafford, OT/Rob Havenstein, DE/Kobie Turner, S/Quentin Lake – 4/21/25, Monday

[QB Matthew Stafford]

(On having his contract adjusted before the offseason workout program)
“It’s great. It’s great to have that done and kind of out of the way as we get this thing going. Obviously, I’m happy that I’m going to be coming back and doing it again here, which is great.”

(On how he uses this time of year and whether his approach has evolved or changed particularly with offseason workout programs and everything that comes with it)
“It definitely evolves every single year. Last year was a little bit unique. This year as I get older, I’m just trying to do whatever I can to make sure that as training camp starts, I’m really fresh both mentally and physically. That’s kind of what this whole time of year will be geared around for me. Obviously, getting to work with the guys, being around them as much as I can culturally is a great thing and getting to work with Davante [Adams] and Tutu [Atwell] in some new spots and doing all that kind of stuff will be beneficial. As is every year, it kind of goes as it goes. We’re going to figure out who we’re going to draft here at the end of the week. We’ll have new guys in and getting in time with those guys is important as well. I think earlier in my career, it was how do I learn the playbook? How do I establish myself in the locker room and all those kinds of things as best you can? That just evolves as I get older and as teams change as well.”

(On what made him stay in Los Angeles)
“It wasn’t something that happened on that Friday during that meeting. It’s not one thing that sits there and goes, ‘Hey, this is the reason. There’s one thing that makes me want to come back.’ There are so many positive things about our organization and about our team. I never really wanted to leave. I’m just happy to be back and happy that the Rams want me back. We can move forward and hopefully have a great season.”

(On the lesson he learned about the mental break he got from sitting out during the season finale that he’ll carry forward as he enters next season)
“It’s actually been the last two years really because [Chiefs Quarterback] Carson [Wentz] started in San Francisco ‘23 for the same situation basically and then last year Jimmy [Garoppolo] got to start against Seattle. Those weeks are huge if you can find them, especially late in the season. It’s worth starting a little hotter than we did the last two years to make sure those are easier to come by. It’s part of it. As much as there is a physical demand, I’m trying to continue to be healthy and play this game week in and week out for my teammates going into my 17th season. That’s a big demand and a big challenge. There’s a mental and emotional aspect to playing quarterback for a long time as well that I think is important to find those breaks when you can and make sure that whenever you’re out there, you’re as fresh and as motivated as you possibly can be.”

(On whether he’s talked to Sean McVay about drafting a quarterback and his mindset if the Rams draft select one in 2025)
“I’m not going to play the hypothetical game with you. I’m worried about doing everything I can to be the best version of myself for this team. Whoever we draft, I hope they come in and help our team win. If you look at it last year, our first two picks were guys on defense that made huge impacts on our team. For me, I’m just trying to load this team up with as many good players as we possibly can. If a quarterback comes along and they feel the need to take them, I’ll welcome them with open arms and try to teach them as much as I possibly can.”

(On whether he’s comfortable negotiating his contract every year as opposed to having two to three years locked in)
“Yeah, I’m happy to be back and happy that we have agreed to do this thing again. I think the longer that I’m in the game and the longer that I’m playing football, there’s an understanding between myself and the organization on what we want that to look like and what we want that to be. That has been great, communication wise, with those guys.”

(On whether he took trade talk seriously or if he had confidence that it wouldn’t happen)
“No, I think anytime those kinds of things come up, you’re doing due diligence and looking around. I’m a fan of the NFL. I know a lot of these coaches, a lot of the players, a lot of the teams and some of their situations. You poke your head around and see what’s going on. Wanting to be back with the Rams was my number one priority and glad that worked out so I don’t have to worry too much about it.”

(On whether he talked to McVay about the versatility of the offense and if so, what he can share)
“Yeah, we’ve kind of talked about exactly that. We haven’t really done the deep dive yet. I know that’s coming in the next couple weeks, which is something I’m excited about. You have to see what that’s going to look like based on what happens this weekend as well because you’re going to add players on offense, defense and in the kicking game that are going to be big for you. That’ll organically happen I think throughout the offseason and then continuing into training camp as it does every year. I think about some of the things that we’ve done in the past, either in the spring or in the summer in training camp, that are huge parts of what we end up doing during the season. Other times, you’re trying stuff out and it may not work the way you want it to work. It’s always a process. With a guy like Sean who’s never satisfied, which is an amazing thing to have as a head coach, we’re always trying to find ways to be better, be multiple and make it tougher on defenses to slow us down. I’m excited for those conversations and some of those ideas trials and see where it goes. For now, we’ve just talked about having those. I know he has some ideas that he’s going to want to share with me here pretty soon.”

(On WR Puka Nacua’s role without Seahawks WR Cooper Kupp on the roster)
“On the field, I don’t see his role changing too much. I think he’s done a hell of a job when he is given opportunities to go out there and make plays. He’s been great in the pass game and in the run game. He’s a great locker room guy. We love having him around. Cooper was an unbelievable leader for our team for a long time and a great player for us as well, but I think everybody has to be their own person and Puka’s going to be himself. We love him for who he is. I’m just excited for his continued growth, both physically and all that on the field. Yeah, that’s great. As you get your feet wet in this league…this is year three for him. He’ll become more and more comfortable with what his routine is going to look like, what his role on our team is and how to go out there and compete in practice and in games. I’m just excited for him to have another solid year.”

(On what WR Davante Adams brings to a football team and his level of excitement when the Rams came to a deal with him)
“He has been an unbelievable talent and an unbelievable player for a long time. He had a special connection with Aaron [Rodgers] there in Green Bay for a long time, which was great to watch as long as I wasn’t on the other sideline watching it. He’s an unbelievable player. He works both inside and outside. He’s great at the line of scrimmage, at the top of routes, has great hands and can finish plays down the field with scores as well. I’m excited to get to work with him. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time as a player. Hopefully, I can get him the rock and he can do his thing.”

(On his process for creating chemistry with new wide receivers)
“I think it’s just reps and time. With a guy like Davante who has played a lot of football, I’d imagine there are going to be conversations that are had that maybe with somebody who’s younger you have to go out there and do it a whole lot more. I think at a certain point we’re going to speak the same language. He’s going to understand what I’m thinking and I’ll understand what he’s thinking and then we can probably talk about a lot of it to get it done. Just going out there and playing, that’s what it’s about and having trust in each other. That trust just comes through doing it, which I’m excited to get the opportunity to work on.”

(On whether he’s started building chemistry with Adams or if he’s looking forward building it within the framework of offseason workouts)
“I think it’ll come within the framework of the offseason workouts. It’s been a busy offseason for him, having to move and do all those things. I totally respect that and understand that having a family as well. I think within the framework. We’ll have plenty of time. When this thing wraps up between OTAs and training camp, there’s a five or six week window that you can get a lot of work done and then training camp comes around. If you guys have seen us do routes on air in training camp, we get our work in. It’ll be plenty of time. I’m not worried about that at all.”

(On whether his communication with McVay has changed or vacillated over time)
“I don’t know if it’s vacillated much. I think the biggest thing for us is we’ve always had open and honest conversations, which is great. Some of those conversations are easier to have than others, but he and I are on a great page. I love going to work with him. I’m excited to get to work with him through the offseason and into the season. As you are around people, get to know people and become closer with them, that comes with time and experience. We’re getting that every single day. The more we talk to each other and the more that we’re around each other, we understand each other better. That’s been a positive for us. Like I said, I’m excited to get to work with him for another year at least and I just think the world of him as a human being and as a coach.”

(On whether McVay has developed as a communicator over time as he’s gotten older)
“Yeah, absolutely. I think he’s constantly working on that. That’s a huge part of leadership. He does a hell of a job leading our team. He’s always trying to find ways to be better and that comes with experience. What he does is search for that knowledge and things that are relatable to him and to our team. He’s on a seemingly never-ending journey to be the best version of himself as he can possibly be for our team, for his family, for his friends and everybody. We’re lucky to have somebody that cares that much and that works at it at that level.”

(On what it means to him and the offensive line to have OL Alaric Jackson return)
“That’s just great stability. I thought he’s done a hell of a job since he’s been here setting the tone when he’s given his opportunities early in his career. He did a hell of a job and played great in the last couple years for us at the left tackle spot. He brings up the nastiness to our group. He’s quiet. He doesn’t say much, but when he’s out there, he plays physical and does a great job both in the pass game and the run game. I’m really happy we got that done and he’ll be back in a Rams uniform.”

(On whether having a routine helps his longevity in the NFL)
“Absolutely, both in the offseason and also during the season. It’s changed throughout the years. It’s definitely something that if you can develop one that works for you and tweak it as you go, it just gives you peace of mind that either you’re going out there to practice or you’re going out there to play on a Sunday. I have peace of mind that I’ve done everything I need to do to be prepared to go play and then you let the chips fall where they may.”

(On his cross-training during the offseason)
“I haven’t retired into pickleball yet. I’m still hitting the tennis ball some with Kelly [Stafford], playing some golf and just making sure…I think at this level and at this stage in my career, it’s so much harder to get back into it. I don’t really ever get out of it. I think that’s the biggest thing. For me, I gave myself a couple weeks here or there, but I’m constantly moving and trying to make sure that my body never gets far away from where it was when we ended the season. I just can’t imagine trying to make some monumental gain to get back to even before we start training camp and do all that kind of stuff. I’m just trying to do as best I can to take care of myself 365 days out of the year. I’m chasing little kids around, which is some good exercise too and being a soccer coach part-time. That’s been good. I’m just trying to make sure that I’m at my best today and hopefully come the first Sunday of the year too.”

(On the most challenging part of Kupp’s departure)
“It’s the same as it is all the time with players. It’s the same thing that always happens. It is just so difficult. You find these relationships that you care about and they mean a lot to you as a person, as a player and all that stuff and those guys move on. I move on or whatever it was. It’s really difficult with a guy like Cooper who has meant so much to me and meant so much to our team. I think that’s the biggest part that was really difficult. He’s going to have a spot in my heart for a long time as a player and as a teammate. We did some special things together here. I’m cheering for him 15 weeks out of the year next year.”

(On whether he has a voice with the draft process)
“I mostly sit back. I trust so much of what our front office and our group has been able to do, especially the last couple years have been so impressive. Every once in a while they’ll [say], ‘Hey, check out these two guys. What do you think?’ I give maybe a quick one-liner or maybe they’re already set on somebody and just give me an idea of something here or there. The last couple years picking late, who knows what’s going to happen. I’m just sitting back. I’m excited that I’m not in the green room again. I just get to sit back, relax and see who’s going to be a big, integral part of what we’re doing this year.”

(On whether he’s doing anything differently in terms of preparation and whether he’s getting input from former NFL quarterbacks)
“I think as far as throwing goes, I feel like I can go out there and throw it as many times as I want. My arm feels really good. I’ve been working and throwing through the months of March and April. Like I said, I’m trying to make sure that I don’t get too far out of it because trying to restart from two or three months off, getting your arm in shape and all that stuff, it doesn’t seem right. I’m just trying to make sure I stay in shape which I’ve done, and we’re at the point now where everybody’s kind of back together. I’ll be able to get my work in with those guys. As far as movement skills go, you’re always trying to make sure that you’re staying mobile. I feel like I moved around decently last year. I’m going to continue to try to work on those so I can do it again this year. I haven’t talked to those guys specifically. I do have an idea of what that’s looked like for some guys in the past. I use that as guidance. I also feel like my body and my situation is different from some of those guys. I figured it out up to this point and feel good about the plan that we have in place for me moving forward to make sure that I’m fresh and healthy, both mentally and physically coming into the season.”

[OT Rob Havenstein]

(On what it means to have QB Matthew Stafford returning next season)
“Obviously, it’s huge. I think the first thing we can’t worry about is where we want to be at the end of the year. We have to be where our feet are. Having ‘nine’ [Stafford] in the building and around, rejuvenated, being himself and flying around with great energy, is just always a good thing. When you talk about the football aspect of it, obviously he’s a future hall of famer. Anytime you can have a guy like that in the building to kind of lean on the young guys and lead the way with the way he goes about his business, is always going to be a good thing. “

(On his thoughts of the ‘tush push’ play and whether the NFL should ban it)
“I don’t really have an opinion either way. Seeing the big boys up front from Philadelphia do that with great success is obviously a cool thing to see. It’s not as cool when you’re playing against them. Whatever they decide to do is good either way with me. I don’t have an opinion either way.”

(On whether he had any procedures done this offseason)
“Yeah, I had two shoulder clean outs.”

(On what the procedures consisted of and what his timeline to returning to the field looks like)
“There was some junk in there that didn’t need to be in there so they went in, grabbed the old butter knife and took it out. Nothing got fixed or repaired. It’s not anything crazy like that. I just had some wear and tear. They shaved it all down and gave me a couple of new shoulders. I feel pretty good and will probably take it pretty easy during OTAs. I’m still working on getting a lot of strength back before we go do anything. My goal and my hope is to finish on the field, maybe not in a team setting but to just be out there with the boys and running some football. Towards the end of OTAs, it’ll be good. If not, we’ll be rocking and rolling for training camp.”

(On Center  Coleman Shelton returning to the Rams this offseason)
“I’m very excited. Coleman’s one of my good buddies. I know him and his family very well. We had a lot of great times together. Even on top of that, just the way Coleman goes about his business, he’s a true professional about the way he studies, the way he practices and the way he pretty much does everything from a football aspect. You add onto it he’s a wily veteran. He’s been around for a while. I’m very excited to have Coleman Shelton back.”

(On the message to C Beaux Limmer heading into his second season after the Rams brought back Shelton)
“I thought Beaux had a really good season last year. There are a couple growing pains as all rookies do. No one steps in… well, I wouldn’t say no one, but it’s definitely really hard for somebody to come in, start right away and not have that normal rookie learning curve. It’s not when we started this thing last year that we were like, ‘Alright, Beaux’s going to be our center.’ We had two guys battling it out. That’s just the way it happened. I did talk to Beaux and that’s going to stay between us. That’s the nature of this business. Every year with the draft coming up, everyone’s excited about it. A lot of people who aren’t excited about it are the guy’s already on teams. That’s how it is every year. That’s how we see certain things. There are people coming in to take your job, which is the way it should be. You have to prove yourself year in and year out. Whether guys are slated to start or not, preseason and OTAs don’t make a lick of difference right now. It’s all about how you kind of go about your business. The best five will start and we’ll go from there.”

(On how his offseason preparation has changed over the course of his career)
“I try not to change it too much. There are extenuating circumstances this offseason but just being around the boys again and doing what you love. I still love coming in here. I’ve heard the same meeting for going on 11 years now. It still fires me up to be out there. We’re starting a new league year… well, I know it’s already passed, but we’re starting a new offseason. It’s still exciting. This is one of the best jobs in the world that you can have. We’re playing a kid’s game professionally. It’s unreal. Whether it looks a little different on the field, off the field or whether you take some reps off due to the advanced age of some of the players, I still love being out there, working on your craft and working to get that one percent better.”

(On whether he took some time to contemplate retirement)
“It’s always something to think about, but no. Not this year. I knew I wanted to play this year for sure. Never say never, but I still have a lot of passion for it. I still think I can play. I’m getting my mind and my body ready to go once August rolls around.”

(On what he has to prove going into year 11)
“Whether it’s in year 11 or year one, it shouldn’t change. I have to go out and prove that I’m still the guy, I’m still the right tackle of this team. That’s something that I don’t take lightly.”

(On how he would describe Shelton at the line of scrimmage)
“Coleman, I would say, is confident and commanding. I think he gets the confidence by the way he goes about his work Monday through Saturday. In the last year that Coleman was here, two years ago, [Former Rams Center] Brian Allen was his backup and in the year previous to that Coleman was Brian’s backup. The relationship between those two guys and how hard they worked to make sure that… because as the center in this offense, you are the starting point of the leader. Obviously, the guy we’ve got standing behind him is the captain of everything where he comes up and makes everything right. Even if he’s wrong, he gets us all wrong together, which means we’re all right. He is not wrong much, let me just say that. The amount of work that he puts in, the amount of care and effort that he puts in to make sure that he knows exactly what he needs to know, any advantage he can get, any film study, any technique stuff and then the overall resolve to go get it done during practice first and foremost and then out there on Sunday, is kind of how he breeds that confidence to say things with a command. Whenever he makes a call, there’s no question mark on the back end of that. ‘Is it to 54?’ No, he’s telling you ‘It’s going to 54.’ Like I said, we’re all human. He may get a call wrong, but if we’re all wrong together then we’re going to be right because we have a chance. That’s something you can get behind. Like I said, to have Coleman Shelton back is a lot of fun.”

(On whether it’s been odd going through OTAs without Kupp)
“Yeah, it is and it’s not. Like you said, it is the business. When all things are done and when Cooper and I are no longer playing, hopefully 15 years down the road here, I think the relationships are still going to be there. It’s hard looking up and not seeing his name plate up there. At the end of the day, that is the business. Cooper, 100 percent landed on his feet and he’s still an awesome player. I think anybody that doesn’t think that doesn’t know Cooper Kupp. It’s the same thing I was kind of hitting on with Coleman [Shelton]. You see these guys who are true professionals in what they do. They’re going to last. They’re going to do and already have done a lot of good things in this league. Obviously, I miss Cooper. I miss his family, his little kids running around with the long blonde hair, seeing him at the park and everything like that is still tough. You almost get a little callous to it playing 10 years plus. It still doesn’t make it any easier. It’s still just kind of the way things go.”

[Defensive End, Kobie Turner]

(On his trip to Italy for his honeymoon)
“It was awesome. It was a little gloomy the first week or so and then Alissa had a little bit of food poisoning, but after that we turned a corner. Hit the Amalfi Coast, the best time ever. We did a cooking class and now I’m back at home making bruschetta bites. It’s been a good time. I haven’t made the tiramisu yet here, but I made it in Italy and it was really good there. We had a blast.”

(On whether his experience facing double teams last season has impacted his preparation going into this season)
“I started to learn it a little bit in the middle of last year as well. There are certain teams that give you a certain level of respect and certain teams that don’t. There were times when I’d go into a game expecting the attention that I got in the game before, but then boom, I’m getting one-on-ones. It’s always staying ready for those one-on-one opportunities. The reason why I’m here is to be able to go and win my one-on-one matchups and also to be able to make the most out of my double-team opportunities. It comes down to knowing my role, knowing in every position what role I have to play to be able to help the team thrive, and then there are a lot of situations where I have an opportunity. Just by knowing the defense, each guy gets written up a certain amount of opportunities. There are times where maybe [OLB Jared] Verse has a ‘two-way go’. There are times when I’m set as a penetrator and that’s my ‘op’ [opportunity]. For me, it’s been being able to be a master in my opportunities and doing my role well enough so that when it’s somebody else’s turn, they can eat. Sometimes I even get the scraps off that. I think of the Vikings game, for example. There was a time when I was just covering Verse. Verse goes to power, [OLB Byron Young] ‘BY’ collapses power on the other side, [DE Braden] Fiske has a ‘two-way go’ and I’m just making everything right, and I get to walk in. I don’t think I was credited for that, but you get the opportunity to be able to make plays by knowing your role. When those double teams do come, being able to know based off the look that we present, what types of blocks I can get and if I’m going to get double-teamed, who does that free up and what leverage do I have to play with to be able to allow that person to fully thrive? A lot of times when I have that knowledge and when we as a defensive front have that knowledge and are able to play to our leverage, win to our leverage, or even at times if you’re losing, lose to your leverage, that allows other people to be able to make plays and (inaudible)….come up and make a play.”

(On his thoughts about the addition of NT Poona Ford)
“I’m really excited to turn on his tape. First of all, it’s really cool to be able to look up somebody’s name now and be like, ‘Oh yeah, see all the highlights, see all the different plays, and then being able to even go on our own film services and watch some tape of him. He’s one of those guys that looks like he plays the game of football the way that we do it here. The culture that we’ve established as one of those guys that plays hard, that knows his opportunities. He’s not one of those guys, from what I’ve seen, who gets locked in one gap. He’s knock back. He’s playing with eyes, playing with leverage, and at the end of the day, he’s finding a way to get to the ball. That’s what I want to be a part of this defensive front and that’s the standard that I set as well. It’s not just taking on your block. It’s not just getting knock back, it’s finding the ball and getting to it. To be able to have a ferocious ‘D-Line’ where everyone is hunting, whether it be a run down or whether it be pass down, it doesn’t matter. Everybody’s getting after the rock. That’s something that I’m really excited about. His addition… of course, we lost some guys as well, like losing [Panthers DT] Bobby [Brown III]. He was able to get a really good contract to be able to take care of his family and [Colts DT] Neville [Gallimore] as well. When you lose guys, you miss them for sure, and we built up a really great relationship. At the same time, when you have an addition like Poona, you definitely look forward to what can come from this year and you think of us as a defensive line unit having another year in this system as well. What’s the growth from the rest of the guys along the front going to look like? What’s my growth going to look like? Now I’m sitting back in OTA meetings and I’m not looking for the big picture things, I’m looking for the small tidbits that might go unsaid or maybe are said, but you wouldn’t notice it that you can highlight on. I’m excited to see us all gel together. I’m excited for us to bring Poona into our culture. You guys know we’re an exciting group. We have a lot of fun and when it’s time to get down to business, we go to hunt. I’m very excited about bringing him in.”

(On how the defensive line has discussed their offseason preparation to take another step next season)
“I think last year we had some times where we bumped heads a little bit, but everybody has an understanding now of what their roles are and then we also have a understanding with [Defensive Line Coach] Giff [Smith] being able to bring us together in meetings with the OLBs and with the interior linemen as well to be able to see, ‘Okay, maybe this is a time where you wanted to step out of your role, but look at the other times when people are doing hard stuff.’ Everybody has a hard down on any given down. There are times when you get rewarded, but sometimes you just do your job and somebody else is making the play and celebrating. When you really have a knowledge of that and I think as the year continued, we started to have more and more of those meetings to where you can really appreciate the dirty work that everybody has to do for any one person to be successful on any given play. You’re not really getting a sack unless everybody else is collapsing the pocket. You’re not stopping the run unless everybody else is doing their job. To be able to have that come to light as we finished up through last year as we went through the postseason (inaudible)… but to be able to walk in and the first person I see basically every morning is Fiske. Then later, I’ll be in the training room or wherever I’m at and you hear a loud voice and here goes Verse, and then now you’re going around and then Byron [Young] is walking around with his shirt off, feeling all macho and whatnot. To be able to have that group of guys already back together… this is day one of school for us to be able to come back with OTAs with the full team, but we’ve already been around. To be able to see, ‘Okay, this person is doing work and this person is putting in work,’ I think it’s only going to provide dividends for us to be able to stack on top of that. Even just seeing each other in the building as early as we have and seeing, ‘Okay, this person’s doing treatment. This person’s lifting. This person’s running.’ We’re just going to keep competing and keep elevating our level. That’s something that’s super exciting going into this offseason. It’s no longer, what’s going to be the answer? How are we going to replace ‘AD’ [Former Rams DT Aaron Donald], this, that, the other?’ Now it’s, we have a group of guys who have really done it at a high level last year. How do we build off that? How do we challenge each other? To be able to get in the building and see these guys at work already before OTAs even started… now as we get into it officially, it’s only going to make us a whole lot better.”

(On what he learned about being a team captain and his leadership style)
“I also had to learn about my leadership style. I was sitting in the chair listening when you asked that question. I answered it in my head, and that was the first thing that I would’ve pointed out as well. Learning how I lead and how to do that in a way that’s authentic to myself. Similar to [S Quentin Lake] ‘Q’, I’ve been so used to showing people the way and trying to demonstrate that through my actions and how I approach the game. I learned last year that there’s an element to it that sometimes showing is not enough. Sometimes you have to demand stuff out of people. Sometimes you have to be real with people and tell them the ways in which they’re hurting or helping. I think already naturally, I do a really good job of building people up. That’s one of the things that I pride myself on. I try to be a fun-loving guy, a guy who’s kind and encouraging and I learned that I had to demand a lot more in certain instances last year and that ultimately led to me also being respected in a different way as well. I think that’s one part of it. (Inaudible) I’m tired and I’m trying to catch my breath. At the same time, they’re just going down and scoring touchdowns and touchdowns on us like, ‘How are we going to get back from this and how am I going to move on from this as a leader?’ As the year kind of went on, I started to find my role. I started to be able to lean on people like ‘Q,’ and I was able to talk to ‘AD’ early on in the year as well. Just to see the way that when you are very authentic, how that relates to the rest of the guys and how it relays and comes across. I think we as a team did a whole lot of maturing. Ultimately, I have the ‘C’ on my chest and that meant that the buck stopped with me, and the buck stopped with ‘Q’. As a team, I feel like that’s where so much of the growth happened. As a leader, it’s just trying to rally up everybody and at times saying the right things, but really it’s doing the right things. I wouldn’t be a leader if I didn’t have the play on the field that showed that I was capable of being able to lead the team and if my processes weren’t capable of showing other people the way. If there were no example for people to follow in the way that I worked, then there would be no reason for me to have the ‘C’ on my chest. I’m continuing to grow in that. I’m continuing to find my leadership role. I’m young too, just like the rest of these guys, but now we’re all growing up… It’s year three [for me]. Just continuing to learn how to lead, continuing to learn how to grow with these guys and continuing to push the envelope as far as what type of shape I am going to be in right now? What type of knowledge am I going to be able to bring to the game? By the time the season rolls around, what type of experience [will I have had]? I think of even some times last year where some of that knowledge, some of that experience or some of that leadership, where I faltered or where I might’ve lacked, and it could’ve hurt the team. I’m excited to have another opportunity to just keep growing and to go into this offseason having previously had the ‘C’ on my chest.”

(On whether he takes pride in finding a way to lead in his own authentic way compared to following in Donald’s footsteps)
“There is, and I think what I had to learn very fast, and it’s a journey that we all have to go on, is I can’t lead in the way somebody else leads. That’s not going to be authentic to me. The guys read realness and they read authenticity. If you’re fake, what are they following for? Everybody is in this playing the game that they love, but also to be able to provide for their families. If I’m being fake as a leader and I’m not doing something that’s real to myself, then there’s no reason for them to step in line, if you will, or to follow and to have me be their leader. I think there was a bit of pride in being able to find my own way. The other part of it was I had to push the boundaries that I had previously set on my leadership.

I didn’t used to be somebody who was super demanding. I used to be somebody who would say, ‘Follow me,’ and try to pull people along. Then there were some opportunities where I just had to push people as well, where I had to lead from the front but also get in there, get in the weeds, and be able to demand stuff out of people. Not only did I find a way that was authentic to myself and a way that I’d used in the past, but I also had to stretch myself in ways that I hadn’t previously stretched myself to be able to have a real thing that also produced the results that we were looking for.”

(On whether he plans to work with trainer/instructor Albert “Poodie” Carson again this offseason and what he wants to work on with him)
“I’m planning on working with him a little bit before camp after OTAs. I’m probably going to bring him out here again to work with the guys. In general when he came out, it kind of built up our camaraderie a bit and it also had us all working on specific things. It doesn’t always have to be something that’s super fast-paced cardio, this, that, and the other but we were able to truly break down our craft. I’m looking forward to that. I’ve also been able to do offseason studies on myself. Giff lined us up a cut up of every time that I was rushing from each individual position from the shade, from the nose, from the three [technique], from the four [technique], and even from the five [technique] at times and then also rush downs, known rush downs where I was lining up and what really worked. I’m excited to be able to hone in on what really worked. I’ve already been able to see a couple of things that have worked for me and some things that I tried and that didn’t work as well for me. It was just proven over the course of watching through all these plays of film of me in these exact positions. Because of that, I’m now able to hone in to exactly what’s going to work for me and really perfect my craft in that way. I’m excited to be able to go back to ‘Poodie’ as well and to be able to work with him and to bring to him, ‘Okay, this is what I’m focusing on. How can we tweak this? What do the body mechanics look like?’ That’s something that I’m always really appreciative of him for and something that I don’t know too many other people, if any, that provide that type of specific work that breaks it down in the body in such a magnified way. I’m super excited to go back to him to kind of tune up everything leading up into camp and to see where that takes me.”

(On how Giff Smith has helped him work on finishing more pressures into sacks and how he can perfect that craft in a practice setting)
“I think that starts first and foremost with knowing the finer details of everything, knowing your role and when your ‘ops’ [opportunities] show up. That’s why we started to finish a lot more of those pressure opportunities towards the end of the season and in the postseason than we did early on. To be able to take those pressures and turn them into sacks, all four or all five guys rushing have to be on the same page and you have to have an extreme ownership of your individual role. Without that, you could have the best pressure dialed up. You could have a free runner coming, but if the other guy is not setting the edge and having contain, they’re just going to escape out the other side. I think that’s one of the biggest focuses right now is to really be able to not only build up that knowledge, but build up those relationships. Now in year two in the system and to be able to come back with a group that knows each other well, you’re able to see, ‘Okay, what are the ways in which these particular stunts or these games that we line up, how does that change based off of the person who’s running them?’ A game like a ‘me game’ or a ‘penetrating game’ or whatever type of game you want to call, that looks a whole lot different, for example, with Verse running it than ‘BY’. It’s, ‘Okay, not only do we have an appreciation and a knowledge of the base of it now that we know each other in a different way and we’ve been able to work and rush with each other for a year, how do we use that to our advantage?’ How do the finer details of everything change up just a little bit so that now we’re able to rush four as one or five is one, however you want to put it, and to be able to finish with sacks and close it out.”

(On how his approach has changed since entering the NFL)
“It really hasn’t all that much. If anything, being able to have a certain knowledge of how things work gives me the freedom to go and try to incorporate new things into my routine. I kind of know how OTAs work. I have a knowledge base of the defense, and I basically have a PhD in our defense right now. With that knowledge now I’m not spending this time during OTAs studying the playbook so that opens up more time for me to go and do certain things to get my body turned back over. I think that would be the one way that things changed. Also, just having a knowledge of having played two seasons and having my snap count be a lot higher this past year than it was in my first year, the knowledge of what it takes and the toll that it’s going to take on my body and how I can prepare my body to be right. There are still the finer details that I have to continue to hone in on and that I have to remind myself about, but then it’s how do I use this extra time that I have? And how do I use this knowledge of, ‘Okay, this is what my body’s going to be put through to be able to put myself in the best position to be able to feel the best that I felt in my entire life going into [training] camp and going into the season?’ I think those are really the only ways that things change but from a mentality aspect, nothing else changes. It’s still the same preparation. It’s still the same work and similar to what ‘Q’ (Quentin Lake) said, again, I am where I’m at today because of the work that I’ve put in and because of the process that I’ve had. I don’t need to go and reinvent the wheel. If anything, I just need to refine the aspects of my process that maybe weren’t as refined before or to figure out ways to add in new things that could help, but my process stays the same, my mentality stays the same, and the work stays the same.”

(On whether he feels like it’s important to incorporate his knowledge about his routine to younger players)
“I do and I think one of the blessings that we had…even last year, I think of guys like Fiske. That’s one of the things that I try to do is lead the way with my process and with my routine. Fiske came in and already had his own process and he was already locked into the fact of, ‘Okay, we’re here for this amount of hours or whatnot, but I need to make sure that I’m doing these things that get my body right and get my body turned over.’ I do try to pass that along, but we have a recurring group right now and whatever knowledge that I do have, I try to pass that along. It’s been really cool also to see these guys come in and already bring their own process and their own paths to success. If they already have it, there’s no need for them to reinvent theirs. If there is something that they like of mine and they ask me about it, I’m always down to be able to help them in that way.”

(On whether he was monitoring QB Matthew Stafford’s contract situation and his feelings about it)
“Yeah, it was really tough for me because I told myself going into our honeymoon, I was like, ‘I’m not going to be on my phone all day,’ and then boom, here comes free agency and all these things happening and I’m just trying to stay in the loop. I’m so happy that Stafford is back. He’s been my quarterback for the past two years and I have the utmost trust in him. Obviously, he led the team to the Super Bowl but being able to see the way that he leads the team these past two years, to see the grit that he plays with and the way that just his presence alone elevates our team, I’m super excited to be able to have him as my quarterback again. We have a great team coming in this year and I’m excited for what we can do with it. The quarterback is the biggest piece, it always is. To be able to have ‘nine’ leading you out there, it elevates everything. It elevates the comradery. It elevates our excitement and our enthusiasm to be able to play because at the end of the day, you have the ultimate trust and the fact that ‘Nine’ is going to be the one that’s out there leading us. He’s our quarterback and he’s our guy. When we’re on the sidelines and taking our rest, you have ultimate trust in him. I’m super excited about that. At some point in time, I was a little worried that maybe he wouldn’t come back but then again, I remembered that that’s way above my pay grade. I know that at the end of the day, all the higher-ups and all of the people in this organization are going to do what’s best for this organization. Had they believed that it was someone else, I would’ve rallied behind whoever and we would’ve got it rolling. But man, it feels great to have ‘nine’ back.”

Safety, Quentin Lake] 

(On his offseason)
“This offseason was fantastic. It first started off with a little bit of pickleball. My girlfriend and I have really indulged ourselves in that sport. It’s fun and it’s light on the body, so that was good. Still keeping my cardio up. Then for about three weeks, I took a vacation to Japan and Korea. That was my second time going to Japan, which was phenomenal. It’s a great place. If you guys ever get the chance, definitely go over there. The food, the culture, and the people are outstanding and amazing. It is for me, honestly… during the months of spring and summer, a great time to be [there]. Other than that, I was just training. I took a little long vacation, but yeah, nothing really new on my end.”

(On the Rams’ offseason moves and signing WR Davante Adams)
“Being in the league for three years, and obviously having my dad, he gave me the rundown of how the league works. There are going to be some hard moves that are made, but it’s emphasized that the moves that were made are in the best interest of the L.A. Rams organization. As a player, you have to understand that. You make relationships with a ton of guys. You see a ton of guys come and go but seeing a guy like Davante Adams come into the building with the resume that he’s had and the success that he’s had over the course of his career. It’s a great opportunity for him, but it’s also a great opportunity for us to do really good things this next year. I’m excited. Going against him in practice each and every day, I’m sure I’ll learn a ton of things. Not only is it great for the offense, but it’s great to go against him on the defensive side of the ball.”

(On entering the final year of his rookie contract and if that’s affected how he approached this offseason)
“It doesn’t change a thing. The steps that [brought] me here are the steps that I’m going to keep continuing to do throughout my whole career. I’ll answer your question in three parts. I can only focus on what I can control, and those three things are my attitude, my effort, and my preparation. Each day, having the same attitude, smiling, interacting with my teammates, and having a great time getting these guys ready throughout the offseason into training camp and the season. My effort is giving this building and the organization everything I can each and every day. Then my preparation… making sure that each and every day I’m coming into this building prepared, doing the things that I need to do whether it’s film study or taking care of my body, and letting the chips fall where they may. I’m really excited for the season. We have a fantastic team, a fantastic organization and especially after the season that we had last year, we understood that no one necessarily believed in us but we did a lot of things to kind of raise eyebrows for a couple of people. I’m excited. We have all the tools that we need to have a successful season. It all starts with training and working on this 2025 offseason, which is going to be fun. That’s all I can control, but I’m excited for it.”

(On CB Ahkello Witherspoon being with the team for the offseason program and the impact that will have on the chemistry of the secondary)
“It’s huge. Anytime you get more opportunities and more time to spend with a player, it’s big time. Ahkello has done a great job in the two years now going onto three years that he’s been with the Rams. Just getting that same rapport, getting that same communication and starting it early. Even in the short time that he had [to prepare for last season], the communication was really good, but to have that extra time, that extra film time, that extra communication on the field, it’s just going to go up a level. I’m excited. I love his play. I love him as a teammate. I love what he brings from a veteran’s perspective into the room, especially with a lot of young guys that we have. Bringing him back and bringing him back into the ‘DB room’ is only going to help us as a defense. It’ll be fun. I really enjoy his company. He’s a great friend and great teammate so I’m excited.”

(On the evolution of his process for preparation during OTAs and spring practices from his rookie year to now)
“As a rookie, you kind of are still figuring out the defense a little bit, trying to make sure that you know all the calls and know where you need to be aligned. Now, being in the same kind of defensive scheme for the last three years, my job now is… I like to do a self-study. A self-study of the things that I can do better with the things that I did well and grade yourself. A lot of times you’re looking at the opponent or you’re looking at different schemes that they try to attack you with but in the offseason, it’s really good to put together… whether it’s a cut up or a whole season’s worth of plays of just you so you understand how teams were attacking me specifically, how were teams trying to do certain things against our coverage contours on defense. I think now knowing that, you take a dive and understand [that] these are the ways teams like to attack you or this is kind of the footwork that you need to work on or I didn’t like the way I blitzed during this play. The more information that you study over time, it allows you to really have a lot of information and notes on things that you can improve on going into this season. That’s a little bit [of the] difference of [preparation compared to] early on in my rookie season.”

(On his goals going into this season and the importance of staying healthy)
“I would say at the end of the day, it’s similar to what I talked about last season. Your best ability is availability. Always being on the field and making sure that your body is healthy. There are four things that I want to improve on. It’s to teach, its perspective, it’s calculated risks, and it’s being more demanding. Teaching, meaning, being more available to guys that want to understand playing different positions, and learning the playbook. Perspective is learning other perspectives, whether it’s the ‘corner’ [cornerback position], the opposite safety [position], the nickel [position], whatever… being on the same page in terms of communication. I think that you can never go wrong if everybody’s on the same page and you understand different perspectives that… whether it’s in the secondary, the front seven, linebackers, ‘D-line,’ all that stuff, kind of understanding the perspective of what they see [and how it] will not only help us as a defense, but will help my own game as well. Calculated risks, that is trusting in the film study, trusting in the preparation, anticipating things and then at the end of the day, if you see it, go get it. Trusting the God-given ability that you have and go out there and make plays if you see it on the field. Then the last thing is to be demanding. Demand more of myself, demand more of the defense, hold guys accountable if it comes to that point. Having the defensive culture and having the culture that we have on defense, we can demand so much out of each other. Those are really the four things going into this season that I want to improve on. It will not only help my game, but help the guys around me as well.”

(On how much he follows the NFL Draft and whether he provides any input)
“I always keep up with the draft. I love watching, not only guys that I played with… now I’m getting a little bit older so there might not be that many guys that are coming out of UCLA, but potentially guys that I played with. Obviously understanding and getting to know the players that we end up drafting. I like to keep up with it because it’s a young man’s league. There is always going to be some type of competition, but competition breeds greatness. At the end of the day, like I said, all I can do is control what I can control. This organization is ‘Grade A’ in terms of the people that they bring in. Obviously, you guys have seen the last three years. They have brought in phenomenal talent. All you can do is trust in that, trust that they’re going to bring in guys that fit the culture and that are amazing people first and players as well. I’m always excited for it because this organization, the Rams, they do a fantastic job of getting guys that fit this culture and fit this organization. It’s going to be exciting and hopefully, we get some guys that do even better than the guys that they’ve brought in the past. I’m excited for it, and I do key tabs on it.”

(On UCLA signing QB Nico Iamaleava in the transfer portal and the new landscape of college athletics with Name, Image and Likeness)
“From what I’ve heard, that is the last missing piece that they needed was a quarterback. I’ve kind of seen Nico from afar, watched his game a little bit at Tennessee and I think he’s a great player. I think he’ll fit the scheme. Every season is a new season, but to have a high-caliber player at quarterback and at that position come in, I think it will help the whole organization. In terms of NIL, from the stories that I’ve heard and from players talking about it, it is wild. There are guys coming before the game talking about, ‘Hey, I need this amount of money or I’m not going to play.’ That’s a whole different dynamic than when I was in college. It was more about building the player, developing the player and about the brotherhood that you guys share in the college atmosphere. You can’t be mad at it because guys are trying to earn money. Some guys deserve the money that they’re getting, but I think at that point you might as well just make it the pros. Put a salary cap on it and all that stuff. There are pros and cons to it. I think they kind of need to reel it in just a little bit, but at the end of the day, that’s the atmosphere that guys are living in now and you kind of have to adapt and adjust to be successful.”

(On whether he was in Japan when the Dodgers played there to open the 2025 MLB season)
“I was there when the Dodgers were there. That was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever been a part of. The baseball culture in Japan is different. You know how if you go to Dodgers Stadium or any other baseball stadium, throughout the whole game, fans are cheering (inaudible). It was really cool to see [Dodgers P/DH] Shohei Ohtani and all the Japanese fans show support for him. He is almost like their Superman out there. That was an amazing, incredible experience. If they have a ‘Tokyo Series’ again, I would definitely go to it.”

(On his responsibility as a captain and how that’s affected his preparation for this season)
“I don’t necessarily think it changes. When I was the best version of myself… At the end of the day, I think that’s the only thing that guys around me can ask for is to be the best version of myself. That’s why I was able to be in that position to be named team captain. I mentioned earlier being more demanding. Being a captain, you have the voice to be able to hold guys accountable, to encourage guys, and to be a resource. Is there necessarily more responsibility? No, but there is more opportunity to influence the guys around me, especially after being captain for a year. Luckily guys have put me in a position where I earned the respect and when I talk, my voice is heard, which is outstanding and amazing but there are always going to be things that I need to work on. To your question, I’m just going to take it day by day, step by step, and control the things that I can control. I’m excited going into this year to help these guys, the team, and the players around me also be the best versions of themselves as well.”

(On what he learned about his leadership style last season)
“I really had to figure out what my leadership style is. Sometimes you don’t understand or you don’t really know how much your voice holds, how much weight your voice holds. I was always an action-oriented person first. I wanted my actions to be able to prove before I said anything. I wanted to lead by example. Now understanding it, the work is done and the resume is out there. The consistency in your work has been shown day in and day out. Now, I can be more vocal and I can hold guys accountable in different ways. I think that’s what I understood this year. You’re going to be the same person in terms of your work because you hold yourself to a standard. Now it is, can I hold other guys to the culture and the standard that we hold as an organization? I think that was the biggest thing in learning about myself last year.”

(On whether he and DE Kobie Turner spoke about learning their leadership style as two first-time captains)
“Yeah, we did. We did an interview one time and we talked about that a little bit, finding your leadership style and understanding that. In Kobie’s situation the year before that, he was learning under [Former Rams DT Aaron Donald] ‘AD’, getting tidbits from him, how he can lead, and how he can do certain things from his own perspective. I had the same similar experience but yeah, we talked about it. I think now understanding it and being captain for a year, it doesn’t get you complacent but it allows you to kind of relax a bit and understand, ‘Okay, this is my leadership style and this is what was successful.’ Looking back at it and looking at the year that we had we can kind of be like, ‘We did a good job.’ Are there things that we need to improve on? Of course, but we kind of found our ‘MO’ and our leadership style.”

(On whether he believes in sticking to a consistent routine or changing things up year-to-year in terms of preparing for a new season)
“I love having the same routine. It makes it easier for me. It’s structured and it’s organized. The only time I’ll switch things up is if I really need to work on something. Let me give you an example. If I felt like… for my body, for example… If I felt like I needed to do more stretching, I come into work every day, I’d like to do flexibility and mobility but say I needed to take an extra step, let me add yoga into my routine. I love to have the same routine because to me, it’s almost therapeutic. To be able to go and do the same thing every single day, to have a routine and to be organized… for some people, that might not work, but for me, I love it. To know where I’m supposed to be and when I’m supposed to be there each and every day, I love it. I only switch it up if I really need to emphasize or work on something. I love having the same routine.”

(On whether he was following Stafford’s contract situation closely and what went through his mind as a teammate and a captain)
“I was keeping track of it. It was hard for me because all these contract talks, trades, and all this stuff came out when I was in Japan so I was like, ‘Okay, I might have to stay up a little bit longer or wake up a little bit earlier to kind of keep up with it.’ Any aspect of football, I love it. Whether it’s contractual, whether it’s statistics or players, I just love keeping track of it because to me it’s fun. When that situation was going on, specifically with Matthew, you’re like, ‘Okay, what is going to happen?’ He is a pivotal part of our organization. Obviously, he led the team to win a Super Bowl in ’21 so you understand, ‘Okay, what direction are we going?’ From a personal side, he’s such a great person. He’s an amazing father, an amazing teammate and obviously an amazing person. As a player you’re like, ‘Please, please, please, hopefully everything works out,’ because of the effect and influence that he’s had on this organization and on me specifically. To have a guy that is going to be in the Hall of Fame one day and you’re going against him every single day from a defensive back perspective, it has only made me better as a player and there is so much value in that. It’s deeper than teaching the receivers how to attack my leverage or putting the ball in the perfect spot where it’s out of reach from me, but in reach of the receiver’s hands, stuff like that. I’m not going to say you get a little uneasy, but you get a little curious about what’s going to go on. Luckily, I saw him in the building today so that was fantastic. Everything seems like it’s going to work out so that was great. He’s such an important part of this organization. He’s such an amazing person and an amazing man. I’m very happy that he’s back and everything’s good… he’s healthy. It’s good. That was very satisfying to me.”

–RAMS–