The Los Angeles Rams have Super Bowl aspirations this season, and if they're going to reach that goal, they need a major bounce-back year from defensive tackle Braden Fiske.
Three years ago, the Rams made a bold move, trading up into the second round to select Fiske. The price? A future second-round pick that eventually became Nic Scourton for the Carolina Panthers. Now, in year three, the question looms: was that investment worth it?
Fiske burst onto the NFL scene as a rookie in 2024, recording an impressive 11 sacks. But his sophomore season told a different story, with his sack production dropping to just five. For a defense built to be dominant, the Rams need Fiske to rediscover that rookie magic.
Here's the good news: the numbers suggest Fiske's second year wasn't as bad as it looked. Back in October, we broke down how his analytical profile painted a more optimistic picture than the box score suggested—and that trend mostly held up through the rest of the season.
Fiske faced the most double teams on LA's defensive line through October, and his pass-rush metrics remained consistent with his rookie year. The issue? Sacks are a fickle stat. They depend on factors beyond just beating your blocker—quarterback mobility, coverage sacks, and even teammate performance all play a role. Just ask Jared Verse, whose Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2024 highlighted how pressures are now valued more than ever in the modern NFL.
Fiske's snap count dropped slightly in year two—673 compared to 700 as a rookie—with most of the decrease coming in run defense (213 snaps vs. 232). With roughly the same number of pass-rush opportunities, he recorded nine fewer pressures (50 vs. 59) and his Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade slipped from 68.9 to 64.0.
His other grades, however, remained largely steady. We know Fiske isn't a standout run defender—that's why the Rams signed Poona Ford last offseason and played him over Fiske on early downs. Fiske's primary job is to get after the quarterback, and he needs to do it more consistently.
Encouragingly, two of Fiske's five sacks came in the playoffs. With year three on the horizon, the Rams are betting that postseason spark becomes a full-season flame.