Rams S Kam Kinchens: No. 20 Player Brings Playmaking Ability to Secondary

Rams On SI is counting down the Los Angeles Rams’ top 25 players for the 2026 season. This series continues with our No. 20 player, Kam Kinchens

When the Los Angeles Rams drafted Kam Kinchens in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it was seen as a potential steal. At Miami, he became the third player since Sean Taylor to have double-digit interceptions during his college career. During his rookie season, he became the first rookie defensive back to win multiple Defensive Player of the Week awards.

Since he was drafted, Kinchens has been one of the biggest playmakers in the Rams’ secondary. In two years, he has six interceptions and 12 passes defended. As a rookie, he also had an interception returned for a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks.

Why Kam Kinchens is So Important

Kinchens is heading into his third season after establishing himself as one of the most exciting playmakers in the Rams’ secondary. He had two interceptions last season, both of which came in the Week 11 win against the Seahawks. Kinchens was one of four players last year on the Rams defense with multiple interceptions. He’s simply a player who can make game-changing plays with his ability to create turnovers.

Despite being in his second season, Kinchens was the Rams’ best coverage safety as showed excellent range in the secondary. Among qualifying safeties, Kinchens ranked 10th in coverage via PFF. His coverage ability allows defensive coordinator Chris Shula to be more aggressive and make up for average cornerback play.

The Depth Behind Kinchens

The Rams have good depth at safety, but that doesn’t mean they would be able to replace Kinchens. Kinchens’ range and play-making are special. Behind him, the Rams have Tanner Ingle and Nate Valcarcel. However, if Kinchens were to miss time, they would likely play Quentin Lake from a deep safety position more often and rotate players in the slot at nickel.

What Happens if Things Go Wrong

Over the past two years under Chris Shula, the safety position has become more important. That’s been clear as the team has paid Lake and Kam Curl, whereas the Rams traditionally have not invested heavily in the safety position. Shula has used three and four safeties on defense at the same time to make up for deficiencies at cornerback and linebacker.

The Rams will be expecting Kinchens to take a step forward in 2026. If he misses time or takes a step back, it limits what Shula is able to do in the secondary and makes the Rams’ defense easier to attack through the air. Kinchens may be more of a role player, but he provides range and ball production that the other safeties on the roster don’t.

Why We Ranked Kinchens Here

When it comes to the Rams’ safeties, Kinchens is third in the pecking order behind Lake and Curl. However, what Kinchens does is very important. He’s more of a complementary starter than a foundational piece in the secondary.

Still, Kinchens is the Rams’ best coverage safety, which can’t be easily replaced. He’s one of the more promising young players on the Rams defense and someone who can completely change the game because of his play-making ability. While the defense may be able to function without him, it wouldn’t look the same.

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