COLUMN: This Is the Year of Rams' Braden Fiske

The Los Angeles Rams defender promises to be legendary

May 28, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Braden Fiske (55) walks out to the practice field during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We rush as one. That is the mindset of the Rams' defensive line heading into the 2025 NFL season, and while all the attention is on star defender and reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, it's his collegiate teammate who might make his claim to being the first Rams player to win Defensive Player of the Year since Aaron Donald.

Verse, the ever-dominant force, will have his moments. He's too good and too hungry not to, but there's also a reason why Verse led the NFL in hurries while Fiske led all rookies in sacks.

Byron Young stated that Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula has spent the offseason designing plays to capitalize on his players' strengths, and we've seen that during preseason, with Desjuan Johnson opening up the inside for Brennan Jackson to swoop in and make a play on the quarterback.

So convention would suggest that since Fiske is the inside player like Johnson, he'd crack the door open for the explosive Verse to finish...right?

Well, what if that's not the case? What if it's the opposite? When looking at Fiske's film, he has a strong rip and dip move that allows him to power past offensive linemen with his shoulder and leverage, while having a nice spin move in case the quarterback steps up in the pocket, allowing Fiske to bring him down from behind.

Verse, who displayed his ability to bust through the door when he manhandled both Lane Johnson and Mekhi Becton in the playoffs, is the ultimate teammate and just wants to win.

So what if Verse cracks the door for Fiske to get quicker inside penetration, allowing Verse to hold the edge, using his speed and pass rush moves to corral the quarterback if he attempts to run from a collaping pocket?

That would allow the Rams to maintain pressure while containing dual-threat quarterbacks like Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts, quarterbacks who have burned the Rams in the past.

Obviously, Verse would have several avenues to crack the door open. His patented bull rush, his outside move forcing the quarterback to step up into a pocket Fiske is closing down on, potentially having Verse loop Fiske, so on and so forth.

Dec 28, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske (55), linebacker Michael Hoecht (97) and defensive tackle Kobie Turner (91) celerate after a sack of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Here's the main point. In practice, Fiske has looked excellent. In games for the public to see, Shula's scheme looks effective. The Rams are rushing as a unit and there was a reason Trey Hendrickson, with his ability to rush from the inside, led the NFL in sacks.

Braden Fiske is a Hendrickson, Chris Jones type of player, and from what I've seen, this is the year he tells the entire NFL that he's not one to be taken lightly.

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