Analysts urge Rams to deploy Jared Verse as interior blitzer for All-Pro leap
Reports suggest the Los Angeles Rams must utilise Jared Verse’s underrated ability to blitz up the middle to rectify critical pass rush deficiencies identified in the 2025 season.
Analysts and reports indicate that the Los Angeles Rams should increase the deployment of defensive end Jared Verse as an interior blitzer to bolster their pass rush. Although Verse is naturally an edge defender, experts argue that his powerful bull rush is currently underutilised. By shifting Verse inside, the Rams aim to force double-teams against interior offensive linemen, thereby creating one-on-one opportunities for teammates Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske.
This tactical adjustment is intended to leverage Verse’s unique combination of speed, size, and strength against interior linemen who typically lack the physical tools to contain him. The strategy seeks to complement outside speed threats like Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart, potentially elevating Verse from Pro Bowl status to All-Pro level. While the Rams’ 2025 pass rush has been described as better than expected, it has still lacked effectiveness in critical moments, partly due to insufficient interior pressure.
The Rams learned a significant lesson during the 2025 season. Their pass rush performed better than anticipated, yet it remained ineffective during key occasions. While Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart recorded breakout seasons, Braden Fiske failed to replicate his rookie production levels. The team fell short in big occasions last season, a result attributed not to a lack of talent, but to issues of maturity and, crucially, utilisation.
The major flaw identified is the lack of pressure coming from the inside, a gap Verse can fill by naturally changing the mathematical advantage on the line of scrimmage. If the Rams can force opposition quarterbacks into passing situations, they can utilise Verse’s power in conjunction with Turner and Fiske. Forcing double-teams on Verse would leave two of the three defenders with one-on-one matchups, allowing them to drive their linemen into the quarterback.
Outside threats Stewart and Young can then work the perimeter to corral a quarterback attempting to navigate a closing pocket, with the added flexibility to drop into coverage if required. Verse’s power is considered unmatched, and interior offensive linemen typically do not possess the tools to deal with a player of his calibre. Analysts posit that getting Verse to crash the inside could be the differentiator that transforms his career trajectory from Pro Bowler to All-Pro.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire and was republished via Yahoo Sports.
