The Los Angeles Rams were heavily criticized for the price they paid to trade up for Braden Fiske in the second-round of the draft this year. In order to make the jump from No. 52 to 39, they gave the Panthers the 155th overall pick and a second-rounder in 2025.
The trade value chart called it an overpay – a big one, at that – but the good news is no one will remember (or care) what the Rams gave up if Fiske keeps playing the way he has. There isn’t a single person who said, “yeah, but remember how much they traded away?!” when Fiske barreled through the Seahawks’ offensive line and sacked Geno Smith twice on Sunday.
Just eight games into his NFL career, Fiske is already making people forget the cost of trading up for him. He’s been that good so far, and he’s only going to get better.
He caught everyone’s attention in Week 9 during the Rams’ win over the Seahawks, finishing the game with two sacks, five pressures and three stops.
On the list of things I’ll never spend another second thinking about:
*The 2025 second-round pick that was required to make Braden Fiske a member of the @RamsNFL. pic.twitter.com/wNBRMIPM4p
— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) November 4, 2024
His 26 pressures this season are second among all rookies, behind only his teammate, Jared Verse (39). He also ranks 11th among all NFL defensive tackles in pressures, according to PFF.
Former second overall pick Chris Long has been blown away by Fiske’s production so far, calling Sunday his “coming out party.”
Braden Fiske may be an absolute dude. Coming out party in SEA. Caused 2 sacks + his production. Verse = rolling ball of butcher knives. Turner all over the field. Young forced a pick 6, got the block to spring it. Giff Smith is doing a great job with the young guys.
— chris long (@JOEL9ONE) November 4, 2024
Sean McVay was at the forefront of that trade for Fiske and now six months removed from it, he has zero regrets. He doesn’t care what the trade value chart says or what analysts think because the Rams bought into a tireless worker and someone who made Jared Verse better at Florida State, too.
“Yeah, you look at it and there are always these draft charts and different things like that,” McVay said Monday. “When we were able to get Jared and then you look at the consistent across-the-board love that we had for Braden Fiske, we wanted to figure out a way to be able to go get him and pair him up with some of the other guys that we had in-house when you look at Kobie Turner and Bobby Brown III and then being able to see both Kobie and Byron [Young] in their second years and what Michael Hoecht can do as a versatile chess piece.”
Needless to say, McVay has been pleased with the way his young defensive tackle has played. And it’s not just his performance on Sundays. McVay loves Fiske’s dedication and work ethic each and every week.
He’s done a really good job and he’s been so steady and consistent,” McVay added. “This guy’s demeanor, he loves the game, he loves to compete, and I think he’s getting more and more comfortable, and I think he’s really understanding what we’re trying to get done.”
No one can replace Aaron Donald, but Fiske has done about as well as anyone could have when it comes to filling No. 99’s shoes. He’s off to a terrific start with the Rams and he’s only going to keep getting better.
