Life is about to get a whole lot easier for Los Angeles Rams defensive end Braden Fiske, and that’s all thanks to the team’s massive offseason trade for Myles Garrett. Fiske is absolutely buzzing about his new teammate, flat out stating with conviction, “Not all men are created equal, that’s for sure,” when discussing Garrett on Thursday. With Garrett, who just set the NFL record with a mind-blowing 23 sacks last season as a Cleveland Brown, now lining up opposite him, Fiske is looking at a massive opportunity to blow past his previous numbers and redefine his career.
Braden Fiske: “He’s a Baller, No Doubt”
Fiske isn’t shy about hyping up Garrett, unequivocally calling him “a baller, no doubt.” The Rams’ defensive front is already diving deep into how to maximize their new weapon and transform their pass rush. Fiske knows opposing offensive lines will be throwing everything they’ve got at Garrett, trying to slow him down with constant double teams and protection slides. That’s the crucial dynamic right there, because it’s going to create some serious one-on-one matchups for Fiske on the other side. “He’s getting a slide, there’s no doubt about that,” Fiske noted, emphasizing the immediate and undeniable advantage this brings to his game.
The current focus in practice? Communication, big time. Fiske emphasized that “the biggest thing right now is working on our communication of how to rush together, how we’re going to attack certain looks.” This isn’t just about individual talent, it’s about making the entire defensive line a synchronized nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. They’re meticulously preparing for “certain looks that we’re going to get when he’s on the field,” and doing their “best to work off each other.” It sounds like they’re making real “strides” already, which is exactly what you want to hear.
A Career-Year on the Horizon for Fiske?
When you look at Fiske’s journey, this Garrett trade couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. As a rookie in 2024, Fiske burst onto the scene with a solid 44 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Those are impressive numbers, but he took something of a step back from his rookie season to his second one from a statistical perspective, dropping to 30 tackles, three sacks, one fumble recovery, and zero forced fumbles in 2025. This potential for a career-year would be a truly welcome development for the 26-year-old.
Now, with Garrett drawing all that attention, Fiske could be poised for a serious comeback and a return to form. Opposing offensive lines will be so focused on stopping the NFL’s single-season sack leader that Fiske, the Florida State product, should find plenty of “favorable matchups and holes to exploit” on the other side. There’s even constant speculation about Aaron Donald potentially coming out of retirement, but even if that doesn’t happen, Fiske is set to be the “forgotten man” in the best possible way, leading to a ton of opportunities. It’s looking like Fiske could absolutely return to, or even exceed, his rookie production this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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