When it comes to the Los Angeles Rams’ secondary, most of the attention goes to the new cornerback tandem of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. However, safety Kamren Kinchens could be the breakout star on defense this season.
With a pair of talented corners on the outside, Kinchens enters the 2026 season in the best position of his career. After improving significantly last season, Kinchens should continue to get better this year in a revamped Rams defense, where opportunities to make plays on the ball will be abundant.
Kinchens checks in at No. 20 on our list of the Rams’ most important players for 2026.
How he got here
The Rams spent a third-round pick on Kinchens in 2024, making him part of what has turned out to be a really strong class. Among analysts, he was viewed as a potential second-rounder but some poor testing at the NFL combine caused his stock to slip.
As they often do, the Rams ignored those subpar numbers and focused on the film, which was excellent from his time at Miami. He was a ball hawk for the Hurricanes, picking off 11 passes in his final two seasons alone.
Kinchens made four starts as a rookie in 2024 before doubling that number to eight in 2025, playing all 34 regular-season games the last two years.
2025 stats
17 games (8 starts): 84 tackles, 2 interceptions, 6 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 QB hits
Projected role
After primarily playing deep as a rookie in 2024, Kinchens got more opportunities in the box and near the line of scrimmage last season. According to PFF, he played 656 of his 975 snaps as a deep safety, with 236 coming in the box.
That allowed him to be closer to the action and make plays as a tackler, thus the increase in his total tackles from 2024 (57) to 2025 (84). This season, Kinchens should continue to play multiple spots in the secondary alongside Kam Curl, but he might be at his best as a deep safety who can survey the field and make plays on the ball.
Quarterbacks will have tighter windows to throw into this season now that McDuffie and Watson are in the picture, which will allow Kinchens to be more aggressive. And if the corners funnel passes toward the middle of the field, that will be Kinchens’ territory.
One thing to know
Kinchens’ 81.9 coverage grade was the sixth-best among all NFL safeties last season, showing an ability to take away throwing lanes and make plays in coverage – while also limiting yards after the catch to just 89 all year.
Why he’s important
Kinchens has been one of the best playmakers for the Rams in the last two years. He’s picked off six passes, returned one of them for a touchdown and has 176 total interception return yards; he led the league with 103 in 2024. He’s also broken up six passes in each of the last two seasons.
Where he improved most last season was his tackling and angles. He trimmed his missed-tackle rate from 13.9% to 11.2% and bumped his tackle grade up from 62.1 to 71.4. Having a ball hawk on the back end can make a world of difference for the cornerbacks, allowing them to take more chances knowing they have a safety net like Kinchens over the top.
By the same token, Kinchens can gamble on the ball more because he knows quarterbacks will be getting the ball out quickly with Myles Garrett and the pass rush bearing down on them. Kinchens has a chance to really break out in 2026 in a terrific secondary on paper.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ 26 most important players for 2026 – No. 20: S Kamren Kinchens
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
