By GREG BEACHAM
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse will get a part of his personal edge by operating a gradual stream of trash discuss and jokes at his opponents.
However Verse grinningly admits he received’t be fairly so verbose when the Rams (3-1) host the San Francisco 49ers (3-1) and their 11-time Professional Bowl left deal with, Trent Williams, on Thursday evening.
“I don’t lie down for anybody,” Verse stated. “I don’t change up how I am for anybody. But I also am not, you know, dumb. I’d rather let a sleeping giant sleep. I’m not going to wake up nobody that’s minding their business, especially somebody like that.”
Verse admits he struggled in opposition to Williams of their solely earlier assembly final September. He hardly ever struggled for lengthy stretches at another level final season on the best way to the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the 12 months award.
“Trent is one of the best linemen ever,” Verse stated. “He’s probably going in the Hall of Fame for a reason. I think he’s been in the league longer than I’ve played football, so he kind of understands it. But I think the biggest challenge he adds is with age, you become more savvy. He’s figured out, ‘OK, I’m not going to take this block head-on. I’m going to manipulate it.’ He’s going to mess with you just a little bit that makes you not be able to make the play, but he’s still that dominant version of Trent that can get right in front of you and stop him in the pass rush.”
Verse has adopted up his spectacular rookie yr with two sacks, six quarterback hits and 17 tackles within the Rams’ first 4 video games. Whereas he trails teammate Byron Younger, the NFL co-leader with 5 sacks, Verse is drawing excessive consideration from opponents’ offensive traces, generally clearing house for his teammates to capitalize.
Verse heads into this NFC West showdown with the Niners after the perfect efficiency of the brand new season. He had a sack and 6 pressures within the Rams’ 27-20 comeback victory over the Colts.
He additionally produced one other memorable spotlight when the Rams rushed him up the center from a stand-up place, as an alternative of coming off the sting. With good timing, Verse ran over Indianapolis heart Tanor Bortolini on the best way to forcing an incompletion by Daniel Jones — and solely lacking a sack as a result of he was tripped, based on Sean McVay.
“That was awesome,” the pinnacle coach stated. “You talk about timing it up with the play clock going down. It looked like a trip to me potentially, but I thought he was awesome. I think really the last couple of weeks, the energy, the pre-snap demeanor and the vibe that he’s brought to our group, I think he’s been excellent.”
It was the kind of spectacular athletic play that Verse makes repeatedly. He nonetheless needed to petition the Rams’ defensive teaching workers to place the bizarre scheme into the sport plan, permitting him to hurry up the center.
“It’s something I enjoy,” Verse stated. “I like being in different positions, because it’s not often I get to go up against a center or guard and use my speed, my power, to be able to play them games from a different position. I like that.”
Verse is one large cause why the Rams are second within the league with 14 sacks whereas rating within the high 10 in opposition to each the run and the cross. San Francisco quarterback Mac Jones stated Tuesday that he thinks the Rams have the perfect protection within the league.
“I feel we’re definitely getting a lot more respect,” Verse stated. “To say we’re the best defense, that could be neither here nor there. I think we’ve got a lot of things to work on, but I’m not really focused too much on being the best defense in the league. … When we’re the best version of us, we can dog anybody.”
Initially Printed: October 1, 2025 at 8:13 PM PDT
