Rams' up-and-coming star is one breakout away from total dominance in 2025

There is a lot to love about the Los Angeles Rams as the team pivots to a new season. But through it all, much of the fanfare so far has been about rookies and free agents who have been added to an already quite competitive Rams roster. But what about the returning players? When do we show them some love?

That all changes right now. After all, I don't see how the Rams would have had the audacity to swing for the fences with a veteran Poona Ford if the front office and coaching staff did not feel good about the Rams' defensive line. After all, this is a defensive line two years removed from now-retired All-Pro Aaron Donald.

The Rams have drafted a sextet of solid players who entrench themselves along the defensive front, and all have been very impressive (or soon will be in the case of rookie Ty Hamilton). But the guy who is about to go supernova in 2025 is defensive tackle Braden Fiske.

Braden Fiske is ready to take his talents to a new level in 2025

It's difficult to truly appreciate how far a player can take his game in Year 2, but history shows that almost all do. Whether it's familiarity, passion, or developmental progress, young players do not stay at a rookie plateau, but seem to get into a groove far sooner in their second season.

Fiske feels as though he left a lot of statistics on the football field last season. He led the Rams with 8.5 quarterback sacks in 2024. But if his personal assessment is anywhere close to accurate, he could have ended the season with as many as 13.0 quarterback sacks. And if he managed that, he would have risen from 22nd most sacks to fourth most sacks.

But it's better if you hear it directly from him.

Before you doubt his optimism, consider this. The Rams' defensive front put up 16.0 quarterback sacks in two games in the NFL Playoffs against two of the most formidable offensive lines in the league.

The 25-year-old accounted for 1.5 quarterback sacks in those two games. And having reviewed his early games, evidence supports his assertion. He did leave sacks on the football field.

Does that mean that he should automatically be pencilled in for 14.0+ quarterback sacks this season? Probably now. He played 661 defensive snaps, and that number may be reduced slightly this season. But Fiske will get his shots and will likely be one of the key defenders on passing downs.

As the rotation minimizes his role in running defenses, he will be healthier and fresher to stomp a mudhole in opposing quarterbacks. It may not seem logical, but a more focused role on defense could benefit Fiske's sack totals, not diminish them.

One defensive lineman is about to go supernova, and it's not who you think. It won't be Poona Ford. It won't be Kobie Turner. The highest leap in 2025 will be at the hands of Braden Fiske. Consider this the only warning to the rest of the NFL.

As always, thanks for reading.

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