Architect of Stafford trade proclaims Rams Verse/Fiske haul 'dream scenario'

A matching set is far more valuable

I had argued that a failure by the Rams front office to trade up to acquire DT Braden Fiske with the 39th overall pick would have been the greater evil, and I stand on that claim.

While there is value to some things, we know all too well that a complete set of something is far more valuable than the sum of individual parts. Collectors know that instinctively. But even common items in a household can illustrate that point too. A serving set for a family of four is much less valuable if plates are broken, and the service falls to three and a half. Or if you lose a shoe or a sock, what good is the remaining item?

When the Rams drafted both OLB Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske, I compared to weights for a barbell set. Getting just one was fine. But adding both prospects to this defensive roster not only adds their individual talents and strengths, but it also brings with it all of the positive chemistry that these two players forged throughout their playing days at Florida State.

And it's already beginning to show at the Rams OTAs.

The most difficult transition for any rookie prospect attempting to forge a career in the NFL is not re-learning how to play the game of football. It's the time required to learn and complement their teammates. That takes time, and plenty of practice, particularly at a position that needs cohesion and communication to pull off positive plays.

Fiske and Verse arrive with that communication and instinctive understanding of one another already baked in. That gives them a fast-track path to developing into true NFL starters for the 2024 NFL season.

Of course, the rest is up to them. The NFL is not a red carpet premier for rookie prospects, no matter how much praise and hype goes into the process that gets rookie prospects from the college ranks to the pros. But we can all rest assured that the pair of Jared Verse and Braden Fiske have gotten a solid send-off for their professional football careers. I expect that neither player will let the other fail going forward.

As always, thank you for reading.