Tag: Braden Fiske

Two Rams defenders named to midseason All-Rookie team and they were easy choices

Jared Verse and Braden Fiske were easy choices for The Athletic’s midseason All-Rookie team, running away with their respective positions

The Los Angeles Rams seem to have hit another home run in the draft with their 2024 class, starting at the top of the draft with Jared Verse and Braden Fiske – two former Florida State teammates who have brought their dominance from the Seminoles to the NFL.

Verse and Fiske rank first and second among all rookies this season in pressures and they’ve each had multi-sack games already, showing they were well worth the cost of first- and second-round picks.

The Athletic released its midseason All-Rookie team for 2024 on Wednesday and both Verse and Fiske were selected. They were obvious choices, too. Verse was picked as the top edge rusher and Fiske was chosen as the No. 1 defensive tackle.

Here’s what Dane Brugler wrote about Verse.

There have been a couple slam-dunk picks in this exercise (Daniels, Bowers), and I would also include Verse, too.

With 39 pressures in eight games, Verse has almost doubled the number of pressures produced by Laiatu Latu (20, on almost the same number of pass-rush snaps). He also leads all rookies with 9.0 tackles for loss, which ranks top 10 in the NFL.

Fiske is coming off a two-sack performance against the Seahawks in a game where he lived in the backfield and was dominant against not only the run, but also as a pass rusher. His game against the Seahawks put him over the top for Brugler, saying Fiske is “running away with the top spot.”

Just like at edge rusher, a Rams rookie from Florida State is running away with the top spot. Fiske passes the eye test — you can’t watch the Rams’ defense without noticing No. 55 chasing the football. He also shows up in the stat sheet, with 26 pressures through eight games (no other rookie DT has more than 12).

Though Verse and Fiske were the only two Rams selected, there were a bunch of others who received honorable mentions: Jordan Whittington at wide receiver, Beaux Limmer at interior offensive line, Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough at safety and Joshua Karty at kicker.

It’s still early but the Rams’ 2024 draft class looks like another slam dunk by Les Snead and Sean McVay.

Braden Fiske is making everyone forget the cost of trading up for him

The Rams were criticized for the cost it took to trade up for Braden Fiske, but the Florida State DT is making it look like a great deal

The Los Angeles Rams were heavily criticized for the price they paid to trade up for Braden Fiske in the second-round of the draft this year. In order to make the jump from No. 52 to 39, they gave the Panthers the 155th overall pick and a second-rounder in 2025.

The trade value chart called it an overpay – a big one, at that – but the good news is no one will remember (or care) what the Rams gave up if Fiske keeps playing the way he has. There isn’t a single person who said, “yeah, but remember how much they traded away?!” when Fiske barreled through the Seahawks’ offensive line and sacked Geno Smith twice on Sunday.

Just eight games into his NFL career, Fiske is already making people forget the cost of trading up for him. He’s been that good so far, and he’s only going to get better.

He caught everyone’s attention in Week 9 during the Rams’ win over the Seahawks, finishing the game with two sacks, five pressures and three stops.

His 26 pressures this season are second among all rookies, behind only his teammate, Jared Verse (39). He also ranks 11th among all NFL defensive tackles in pressures, according to PFF.

Former second overall pick Chris Long has been blown away by Fiske’s production so far, calling Sunday his “coming out party.”

Sean McVay was at the forefront of that trade for Fiske and now six months removed from it, he has zero regrets. He doesn’t care what the trade value chart says or what analysts think because the Rams bought into a tireless worker and someone who made Jared Verse better at Florida State, too.

“Yeah, you look at it and there are always these draft charts and different things like that,” McVay said Monday. “When we were able to get Jared and then you look at the consistent across-the-board love that we had for Braden Fiske, we wanted to figure out a way to be able to go get him and pair him up with some of the other guys that we had in-house when you look at Kobie Turner and Bobby Brown III and then being able to see both Kobie and Byron [Young] in their second years and what Michael Hoecht can do as a versatile chess piece.”

Needless to say, McVay has been pleased with the way his young defensive tackle has played. And it’s not just his performance on Sundays. McVay loves Fiske’s dedication and work ethic each and every week.

He’s done a really good job and he’s been so steady and consistent,” McVay added. “This guy’s demeanor, he loves the game, he loves to compete, and I think he’s getting more and more comfortable, and I think he’s really understanding what we’re trying to get done.”

No one can replace Aaron Donald, but Fiske has done about as well as anyone could have when it comes to filling No. 99’s shoes. He’s off to a terrific start with the Rams and he’s only going to keep getting better.

Rams’ rookie pass-rushing duo is blowing away rest of 2024 draft class in pressures

Jared Verse and Braden Fiske lead all rookies in pressures through seven games and it’s not particularly close

Though they’re only seven games into their NFL careers, it seems safe to say Jared Verse and Braden Fiske have lived up to expectations as early picks by the Los Angeles Rams. They’ve each had a sizable impact on defense, starting every game so far this season.

Verse has been especially great, dominating as an edge rusher opposite Byron Young. He has 2.5 sacks and 29 total tackles, seven of which have gone for a loss. Verse has also landed 12 hits on the quarterback, more than one per game.

Fiske, Verse’s college teammate, has one sack, 22 tackles and two tackles for a loss as an interior defender, playing at a high level next to Kobie Turner – a guy who should’ve won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.

What’s particularly impressive about the play of Verse and Fiske is how frequently they’re generating pressure. According to PFF, Verse leads all rookies with 31 pressures and Fiske is second with 21. The next-closest player is Laiatu Latu, who has just 17 pressures in eight games; the Rams have only played seven games.

Chatman played on Monday night for the Giants but he had just one pressure in the game, so he’s currently fourth with 12 pressures – still nowhere close Verse and Fiske.

Verse is the heavy favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year at -125, with the next-closest player (Latu) being +600 at BetMGM.

The Rams have to love what they’ve gotten from their top two picks in the 2024 draft and Sean McVay shared a little bit Monday about how impressive Verse has been thus far.

“He has fun. He loves competing. He loves the challenges,” he said. “There’s a certain play style that he has, which is one of the things that we loved about him coming out of Florida State, and being able to have that controlled aggression, as Aaron Donald always used to say. I think he is authentically himself. I think he’s played his two best games as a Ram against the Raiders and against the Vikings. What I mean by that is not necessarily what the stats will show. He had some really good numbers against the Vikings, but in terms of the production, his ability to make plays within the framework of where those play opportunities arise and being able to elevate his teammates. … He’s only going to get better and better. We love what we’ve seen from Jared Verse.”

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Braden Fiske’s status for Thursday night is uncertain due to back soreness

Braden Fiske came out of Sunday’s game with some back soreness and his status for Thursday night is uncertain as of now

Sean McVay didn’t report any injuries following the Los Angeles Rams’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, but he met with the media on Monday and shared a notable player who came out a little banged up. Rookie defensive tackle Braden Fiske felt some back soreness after the game and his status for this Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings is up in the air.

McVay said “we’ll see what his availability looks like” with regards to the Rams’ upcoming game this week. With it being a short week, it doesn’t give Fiske much time to recover from any discomfort he’s experiencing.

The good news is the Rams will have a mini-bye after Thursday’s game before facing the Seahawks on the road in Week 9.

This season, Fiske has 20 total tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss and a forced fumble. The second-round rookie has been a starter for the Rams on the interior and has played well alongside defensive tackle Kobie Turner.

Mic’d up: Braden Fiske’s chemistry with Jared Verse is undeniable

Braden Fiske was mic’d up against the Bears and his chemistry with Jared Verse is something special

Braden Fiske and Jared Verse were teammates for one year at Florida State, wreaking havoc up front for the Seminoles last season. The Los Angeles Rams kept them together by drafting both defensive standouts in April, something the two were overjoyed about.

There’s been a lot of talk about their chemistry on the field and it’s abundantly clear in the latest mic’d-up video from the Rams. Fiske was wearing a mic on Sunday against the Bears, which was perfect timing because he registered his first career sack.

He and Verse are always on the same page, whether it’s talking pre-snap or just giving each other a look.

“Not this first play but if we get them into a for-sure throwing down, I’m going to look at you. Let’s do it,” Fiske said to Verse.

And sure enough, Fiske let Verse know he was going to cut loose and get after Caleb Williams, which turned into his first sack.

“Hey, I’m gonna go,” Fiske said stoically to Verse before the play.

We did learn something new about Fiske in this video: He hates when teammates smack his helmet after a big play.

“The number one thing I hate after you do something good is everybody hitting your (expletive) head. I’m like, ‘Bruh, stop. That (expletive) hurts,’” he said.

After notching his first sack, Fiske asked Verse if he was jealous – not that Verse doesn’t have a sack of his own this season, but because he had two called back by penalties on Sunday.

“I’m sick. Two of them got called back,” Verse said, eliciting a laugh from Fiske.

“Want to know something crazy? When the first one did, I was like, ‘All right, we’re so close.’ After the second one, I was like, ‘All right, I feel bad,’” Fiske said.

One other highlight of the video was Neville Gallimore trying to hit a bee with his helmet because he’s allergic. Luckily, no bees or defensive linemen were harmed in the making of the video.

Rams rookie Braden Fiske had a big day against the Bears

Braden Fiske had himself a day against Chicago. One of the few bright spots, here’s how he impacted the game.

Rams fans have been waiting for second-round pick Braden Fiske to break out and he did so on Sunday. Not only did Fiske record his first career sack, but it was a strip-sack that was eventually recovered by Chicago.

Working a one on one matchup against Bears guard Matt Pryor, Fiske was flanked by Jared Verse, giving promise of a new pass rushing attack by the two.

Verse was on the receiving end of a powerful bullrush, as were Pryor, Bears left tackle Braxton Jones and Caleb Williams. Perhaps a view into his future, once Fiske is able to put on a bit more muscle, he should be a physical nightmare for years to come.

Fiske was massive in run defense, as well, as he finished his day with four tackles (two solo) and a tackle for loss.

Rams rookie Braden Fiske was surprised how many 49ers fans packed SoFi Stadium

Braden Fiske couldn’t believe how many 49ers fans were at SoFi Stadium for the Rams’ win over San Francisco

Every time the San Francisco 49ers come to town for a rivalry game against the Los Angeles Rams, so too do their fans. And they come out in droves.

49ers fans always travel well and on Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium, it was certainly another takeover in Inglewood. Pre-game estimates were that 62% of the fans in attendance would be supporting the 49ers, but looking at photos and listening to the noise inside the stadium, the number might’ve been higher than that.

Rams rookie Braden Fiske got his first taste of this bitter rivalry and when asked by J.B. Long about it on the “Rams Revealed” podcast, his immediate answer was about the red in the stands.

“A lot more 49ers fans than I expected. They definitely packed the house, too,” he said.

As for the game itself, he enjoyed the uptick in intensity, and he’s especially happy the Rams pulled off a win.

“It was cool,” Fiske said. “We needed that against a rival. At the end there, started getting a little chippy. It was cool. I was just glad we were able to pull that one off and the environment definitely proved it was a rivalry.”

After losing nine straight regular-season games to the 49ers, the Rams have now won two consecutive meetings dating back to last year when Carson Wentz took them down in Week 18. Of course, they’ll square off again later this season in Week 15, a Thursday night showdown that could have massive playoff implications.

In the win, Fiske tied Kobie Turner for a team-high seven pressures, and also recorded two tackles with one fumble recovery.

Jared Verse and Braden Fiske are living up to the hype

Jared Verse and Braden Fiske are 1st and 2nd among all rookies in pressures this season, showing why the Rams loved both in the draft

The Los Angeles Rams are only three games into the 2024 season but it’s abundantly clear that Jared Verse and Braden Fiske are going to be cornerstone players for a long time. There was a lot of hype and high expectations for both former Seminoles when they were drafted with the Rams’ top two picks and they’ve been as good as advertised thus far.

Despite not playing in the preseason and even though they were thrown to the fire as Day 1 starters, Verse and Fiske have stepped up to the plate. The stats show they’ve been two of the best defensive rookies in the NFL through three weeks.

According to Next Gen Stats, Verse and Fiske are first and second among all rookies in total pressures. Fiske leads with 12 pressures, while Verse has 11. Pro Football Focus tallied their pressures a little bit differently – Verse leads with 13 and Fiske has 11 – but the point still stands: they’ve been outstanding as pass rushers.

They’re a big reason the Rams racked up 27 pressures against the 49ers on Sunday, a massive number for a team that just lost Aaron Donald in March. Les Snead drafted them to help reshape the offense without No. 99 and there’s no question they’ve done just that.

It’s not just the pass rush where they’re making an impact, either. According to PFF, Verse is second among all rookies with six total stops and Verse is tied for third with five. Stops are quantified as “tackles that constitute a ‘failure’ for the offense,” so they’re important for defenders to make.

Through three weeks, Verse is the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year and Fiske is inching up the board, now with the 10th-best odds to take home the award, according to BetMGM.

As long as both of them stay healthy, along with Byron Young and Kobie Turner, the Rams’ defensive front should be one of the best in football for years to come.

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Brian Baldinger: Rams might have ‘best young defensive line’ in NFL

Brian Baldinger broke down the Rams’ defensive line in his latest video, led by standout rookie Jared Verse

How does a team overcome the loss of a future Hall of Fame defensive tackle? Apparently, it’s by drafting well and loading up the defensive line with explosive young players. That’s how the Los Angeles Rams have handled he departure of Aaron Donald, who retired from the NFL in March.

The additions of Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Jared Verse and Braden Fiske have paid dividends already, as evidenced by the Rams’ 27 total pressures against the 49ers’ offensive line on Sunday afternoon.

That quartet of pass rushers has lived up to the hype and people are taking notice. NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger broke down the Rams’ defensive line in his latest video on Monday and he raved about the group Les Snead has assembled, focusing mostly on the talent of Verse.

Baldinger highlighted Verse’s power off the edge and his ability to collapse the pocket as quickly as he does, as well as his burst into the backfield as a run defender on multiple occasions.

“You’ve got to watch the movement right here, and the sheer power, getting right to Brock Purdy time and time again. He was the best pass rusher on the field, I thought,” Baldinger said.

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That’s high praise for a rookie who was playing on the same field as Nick Bosa, Leonard Floyd, Byron Young and Kobie Turner.

As a whole, Baldinger believes the Rams’ front could be the best young defensive line in the entire NFL.

“Jared Verse, showed me, along with Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske and Byron Young, this might be the best young defensive line in all of football right now,” he said.

The best part for the Rams is that this is just the beginning. These four players have only suited up for three games together, and they’re only going to get better as they continue to gain experience.

Sean McVay says Braden Fiske is similar to Aaron Donald in one area

Sean McVay took to the podium to comment of Braden Fiske’s demeanor and mindset, comparing it to Rams legend Aaron Donald

The Rams made it no secret that they wanted Braden Fiske when they traded up in the second round to select for the Florida State defensive lineman in the 2024 NFL draft.

Giving up a massive haul in order to select the rookie, it seems to have been a solid investment as all reports about Fiske have been positive so far.

Sean McVay made a bold statement on Monday, reinforcing the belief in the young lineman by comparing his demeanor to Rams legend Aaron Donald.

“Jared (Verse) is always talking and Braden is observant, but he’s taken everything in,” McVay said. “His demeanor reminds me very similarly to Aaron’s [Donald] in terms of how locked in he is on the field, the focus and concentration. I think they’re both uniquely themselves though. I think that’s what’s great about it. We don’t want guys to be anything other than themselves.

Considering similar reports came out about Donald during his rookie year, Fiske continues to give the Rams a lot to be excited about.