Rams S Kam Curl Settling Into New Leadership Role

The Los Angeles Rams are now over a week into training camp, and so far Sean McVay's group looks poised to have a strong showing in 2026.

With all the changes the Rams have made, especially on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, the defense needs to have a few leaders, and it seems that Kam Curl could be one of those leaders after a solid 2025 performance.

Following Saturday's practice, Curl spoke to the media about several things, but one of the most important things he talked about was how he is adjusting to his leadership role.

"I feel like I'm turning more into, like, you know, a vocal leader. You know what I'm saying? I'm the guy with the most experience in the back end now. You know what I'm saying? So I'm just being more of a leader, and it's, you know, it's showing me that, you know, if you do the right thing, guys will follow, you know, and then you bring them up with you. You know what I'm saying? Don't just try to do it by yourself," Curl said.

This is a very important distinction for Curl, especially because of all the new faces the Rams now have across the board on the defense with the additions of Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson.

Read more: Rams' Trent McDuffie Shares Insights on Sean McVay's Leadership and Culture

While Garrett is a nine-year veteran and has been one of the most productive players in the NFL, it is up to Curl and the other Rams players to reinforce the culture and the standard that this team has and how defensive coordinator Chris Shula runs the defense.

After coming from a team like the Cleveland Browns, Garrett may be tempted to try to make every play, but leaders like Curl can remind Garrett that he just needs to do his job, and the rest of the defense will do theirs, which could very likely result in great team success with the sheer amount of talent this team has.

Read more: Rams' Kobie Turner Says Myles Garrett Can 'Do Things No One Else Can'

Additionally, Curl has an experience advantage over McDuffie and Watson, which could be very helpful for the secondary if Curl can help these corners to continue developing. 

The duo of McDuffie and Watson does have championship experience as they won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, but learning from Curl could still be just as valuable with his vast amount of NFL experience.

Curl is a solid player to look toward as he is coming off one of his best seasons yet and meshed with Shula's defense quite well. In 2025, Curl recorded 122 tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and one forced fumble. 

Throughout last season, Curl showcased his ability to make plays in nearly every aspect of the game. Curl even made one of the biggest plays of the season for the Rams as he intercepted Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in overtime, which helped the Rams to secure a spot in the NFC Championship Game.

Curl also talked about what his leadership philosophy is and what he expects from his teammates.

"Just hard work. Put your head down and grind, and hard work going to pay off,” Curl added. 

This is another great message from Curl, especially with many in the media believing the Rams to be the Super Bowl favorites at this point. Head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford have both spoken out about these expectations, but having Curl also talk about the importance of putting in the work is key for the Rams heading into next season.

With the presence the media has in professional sports, it could be ver easy for the Rams to get complacent, but with leaders like Curl and Stafford on this team, as well as Garrett coming in, this roster has plenty of leadership, which could put this team in a great position to make a deep postseason run.