Countdown to Camp is a series breaking down the Rams roster by position group heading into training camp. The ninth and final installment examines outside linebacker.
Inside the Rams' practice facility, Jared Verse's voice can usually be heard through the building. More often than not, that's because he's messing around, laughing or arguing with his partner in pass rushing, Bryon Young. The outside linebacker duo have built a strong bond, which fuels each to beat the other to the quarterback and grow their skills in tandem.
Verse's Rookie of the Year campaign last season featured 77 pressures, ranking fourth in NFL according to Pro Football Focus, along with 4.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback hits. Young totaled 44 pressures, 7.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits. Young led the league in pressures that caused turnovers with five, while Verse's four tied for second with the Texans' Danielle Hunter and the Steelers' T.J. Watt, according to Next Gen Stats. So even when they didn't get to the quarterback, their presence was often impactful.
But this season, Verse wants to finish some of those plays that he couldn't as a rookie.
"The biggest thing I realized was how many sacks — and not even just sacks but big plays — I missed out on," Verse said when asked about his takeaways from watching film from last season. "Dropping in coverage, I could have done this; or rushing the passer, I could have done that. Even in the run game a couple of times, there were things where I'm a little too far inside, I'm a little too far outside, and I could have made a big impact play.
"So realizing that this really is a game of inches — whether it's just stopping the ball or actually just doing your job — there's a couple of things I could've done better."
In Year 2 of their partnership, Verse and Young are primed to take a leap alongside a young defensive line that improved as the 2024 season progressed. Verse told The Athletic that he added a speed rush move "that will give tackles something to be scared of," while Young spent time doing pilates this offseason to increase his stability and prevent injuries.
The outside linebacker unit looks similar to last season, apart from two changes. After losing Michael Hoecht in free agency, the Rams drafted Josaiah Stewart in the third round of the draft out of Michigan. He boasted the top pass rush win rate in the FBS among qualified edge rushers by a wide margin, winning on 27.7% of his opportunities, according to PFF.
A host of other young outside linebackers will return to the team, including Brennan Jackson, Nick Hampton and Keir Thomas, all of whom saw limited playing time last season but didn't start any games prior to Week 18. The continuity of this young unit has them positioned for success in 2025, but Verse doesn't feel pressured to do anything other than improve.
"I don't really feel too much pressure," Verse said. "If I am who I am and I take the strides that are needed to be taken, I'm going to be the best version of me and I'm going to be able to help the team in any facet that they need."
