Braden Fiske is heading into Year 3 with a very different setup than the one the Rams originally imagined for him.
When Los Angeles drafted the Florida State defensive lineman in 2024, the idea was simple enough: pair him with college teammate Jared Verse and let the two young pass rushers grow together. For a while, that plan looked like a win. Both players delivered solid production over their first two seasons.
But Verse is gone now, traded away in the deal that brought in Myles Garrett, and Fiske is left to navigate the next stage of his career without the familiar teammate beside him.
That makes this season a real proving ground. Fiske’s dip in sacks and other counting stats last year can’t be separated from how the Rams used him.
He was asked to do more than hunt the quarterback. Los Angeles leaned on him to help against the run, and that meant bouncing around the defensive front and eating blocks so others could finish plays.
Even with that expanded role, though, he didn’t take the leap plenty expected. Now he’s entering his third season needing to show he’s moving forward, not treading water.
There are reasons to think he can.
Fiske is still one of the Rams’ young building blocks up front, and unlike some of the other pieces around him, he never got the chance to learn from Aaron Donald, who retired the year before Fiske was drafted. Some people think Donald might unretire and come back to Los Angeles this season, but Fiske already has another elite example in the building in Garrett.
The way the Rams deployed their front last season also worked against him. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula moved Verse around to create mismatches, and Fiske got shifted around too.
Verse often ended up across from softer matchups, while Fiske was the one dealing with some of the league’s toughest blockers. That should be less of a problem now.
Health matters here as well. Fiske suffered a knee injury in the 2024 playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles.
He looked fully recovered last season, but the stat line didn’t exactly scream it. He’s back for 2026, and the hope is that he’s all the way healthy this time.
The bigger reason for optimism is the group around him. Fiske is projected to start on a loaded defensive front that includes Garrett, nose tackle Poona Ford, defensive tackle Kobie Turner, and edge rusher Byron Young. With offensive lines likely focusing their attention on Garrett, Young, Turner, and Ford, Fiske should see a lot more one-on-one chances than he did a year ago.
That kind of setup can make a difference, especially for a player who already showed what he could do as a rookie, when he posted 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Calling this a do-or-die season would be too much. But if Fiske takes the next step, he’ll make a strong case for a contract extension. And if he doesn’t, the Rams have other options waiting, including Tyler Davis, Ty Hamilton, and rookie Tim Keenan III.
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