OLB Jared Verse had to workout with All-Pro DT Aaron Donald because . . .

Jared Verse now knows what it takes to become an NFL legend

You don't know what you have until you lose it. While that may be true, you simply do not know what you do not have until you claim it. For Jared Verse, he had to face Aaron Donald and compete with him in Donald's weight room to understand the lifelong dedication required to become an NFL Legend.

Now, he knows.

Competition in the NFL is stressful. It's a work-hard, play-hard environment that has few comparisons. It's a constant stream of learning, developing, and growing while constantly being under the microscope, facing assessment, testing, and projections. So when the opportunity arises to break the tension and get a good laugh, players and coaches are eager to pounce on the opportunity.

Just as Coach McVay did recently when he duped Jared Verse into believing that Aaron Donald was introduced in a team meeting:

Humbling? Perhaps. But Verse embraces those moments that ground him. He would rather face the mountain in an attempt to climb it than be buried by the avalanche of trying to escape it. This young man is built differently. And he understands that the best contributors are not always the statistical leaders of the team.

Jared Verse is a pressure-creating tornado to opposing quarterbacks, but is content to chase them into the waiting arms of teammates. He is a powerhouse who is capable of winning any one-on-one blocking situations, but celebrates double and triple teams because those scenarios create winnable matchups for teammates.

Jared Verse understands that everyone has a part to play to contribute to a dominant defense, and he is simply doing his best to fill his role.

Perhaps most of all, Jared Verse simply gets it. He understands more than Xs and Os. He is as much of an entertainer and strategist as he is a tactician and game-day hero.

It requires no advanced statistical analysis or crystal ball to scry that Jared Verse will be even more productive and important to the Rams' defense in 2025. But it does take time to find all of the breadcrumbs that he drops for the attentive eye to find. And it does take patience to connect all of the dots.

Many will interpret Jared Verse's challenge to Aaron Donald as a cocky young defender getting his comeuppance. But if you peel back the layers just a bit further, you can recognize that this was Jared Verse's announcement to the entire NFL that he is ready to take on a larger role among the NFL elites.

Now, you know too. I, for one, cannot wait to see him in dominating action in 2025. As always, thanks for reading.

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