Jun 3, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse at a press conference during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Rams' DL Learns Valuable Lesson After Workout With Legend

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Scott Salomon | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Last season Los Angeles Rams defensive end Jared Verse went to the Pro Bowl. He won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and earned the respect of offensive linemen around the league.

He experienced something in the offseason that knocked him down a few pegs and brought him back into reality. After watching Aaron Donald's workout on social media, he reached out to the Super Bowl LIV-winning lineman to critique Donald's technique. He offered to workout with Donald and show him where he thought he was coming up short.

Call it lesson learned. Verse will keep his thoughts to himself from now on. He worked out with the future Hall of Famer and plead with Donald's wife to "call the police". He is not going to want to endure working out with Donald again.

"I'm telling you, he's a psychopath," Verse told NFL Network's Maurice Jones-Drew and Chris Rose on Saturday. "I need like another offseason to get on that. It was so bad."

After Jones-Drew questioned Verse as to how bad it could have been, Verse just gave him a blank stare and then made a very poignant statement.

"I've worked out at multiple programs. I've worked out with hundreds of people, best athletes in the NFL, best athletes in college. That was the hardest workout I've ever done.

"Not even close. Like, you know them hell days in college? Couldn't hold a candle to that."

Verse joked when he said if Donald came anywhere near the Rams building, he must be encouraged to leave.

"He needs to stay away from me," Verse joked Thursday. "If security sees him on the property, they need to take care of him."

The Rams defensive line had to be overhauled once Donald retired. General manager Les Snead took Verse and former Florida State teammate Braden Fiske as consecutive picks in the 2024 NFL Draft and the problem was well taken care of.

Verse is not easy to block and might have convinced Miami Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead to retire after the two faced off against one another last season. Armstead admitted he was glad he never had to see Verse again on the field.

Joining SiriusXM NFL Radio, Armstead was asked to name the top three players he's glad he won't have to block anymore. He didn't even hesitate with his top choice.

"No. 1, he was a rookie from the Rams. That young boy Jared Verse? I'm cool. I'm good. I never gotta see that man again," Armstead said. "I'm OK with never seeing that young man again in my life. Bull rush different. Dawg, it's different. You know that it's coming. You brace yourself. He's different. Jared Verse is different. He will be a Defensive Player of the Year one of these days. Mark my words."

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Rams on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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