The Los Angeles Rams have switched things up ahead of the NFL’s deadline, specifically with team captain (one of 11) and veteran Star (safety/nickelback) Quentin Lake.
“The #Rams converted $4.285M of S Quentin Lake’s salary into signing bonus, adding two void years, creating $3.4M of 2026 cap space,” Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti reported in a post on X on September 9. “Lake has 3-years, $37.25M remaining on his contract, including a fully guaranteed $12.75M for 2027.”
Lake has 3-years, $37.25M remaining on his contract, including a fully guaranteed $12.75M for 2027.
It was uncertain who the Rams would choose, and Lake is at least somewhat of a surprising candidate. Still, this was a necessary step for the Rams. It gets them in compliance with league rules for the regular season.
“The Rams are now under the salary cap for 2026 following a simple restructure of S Quentin Lake’s contract,” Over The Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald wrote on February 9. “The team converted $4.285 million in salary to a bonus and added two void years to lower Lake’s cap number by $3.42 million. His cap number in future years increased by $857,000 per year. The Rams are now about $3 million under the salary cap.”
Quentin Lake, Rams Faced Deadline
“When next week rolls around every player on the roster will count against the salary cap,” Fitzgerald wrote on September 4. “As of this morning we would estimate that four teams are likely over the cap and three teams are pretty close.
“The Rams … we have around $1.5 million over.”
Former sports agent Joel Corry noted that both Davante Adams and Matthew Stafford could be appealing options. Corry suggested the reigning MVP over the 2025 receiving touchdowns leader.
“Doing the salary conversion with Stafford … would generate up to $11.76 million of 2026 cap room,” Corry wrote for CBS Sports on September 4. “Stafford’s 2027 cap number would increase by $2.94 million from $31.6 million to $34.54 million, given the number of dummy/voiding years existing in his contract.”
Instead, the Rams chose Lake, and it could be for similar reasons Corry argued against Adams.
The Rams are already heading toward a monumental $100 million base salary with Stafford. It is not expected to be triggered, but it still looms large.
LA Rams Change Plans With $37 Million Team Captain to Beat Deadline