Rams 2024 First Round Pick Is Already Striking Fear in NFL Veterans
Terron Armstead retired this spring after 12 hard-fought NFL seasons with the Saints and Dolphins, earning five Pro Bowl selections and the respect of countless peers. As he closes the book on his career, Armstead is finally revealing the names of the players who made him grateful to walk away from the trenches — and one name came out faster than any other: The former first-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams may only be entering his second NFL season, but he’s already made a serious impression on one of the league’s most respected linemen. “Number one, 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 told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Bull rush is different. It’s different.”
Coming from a veteran with 131 career starts, that’s no throwaway comment — especially considering that Armstead has gone toe-to-toe with legends like Myles Garrett, James Harrison, and Justin Smith. He even lumped Verse alongside Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby, and Myles Garrett as the most difficult players he's faced. Verse only finished with just under five sacks as a rookie, but that stat doesn’t tell the full story. He was fourth in the NFL in total pressures, and those around the league took notice. According to Next Gen Stats, in his Week 10 matchup vs. Armstead and the Dolphins, Verse produced three QB pressures and a sack in just 10 one-on-one snaps against the veteran left tackle. Armstead recalled the moment he felt just how real the Verse hype was: “The first series, he did a bull rush... and I’m laughing because it was like, ‘Yo, that’s funny that he pushed me back like that.’ It was funny. It was interesting to see, like, this is different.”
In a separate interview with The Rich Eisen Show, Armstead doubled down, calling Verse’s strength “different.” “He’s not the biggest, but his power... I played James Harrison and Justin Smith — very strong humans. Jared Verse has something different with his power.” This isn’t just hyperbole — Armstead isn’t ready to call Verse a finished product. In fact, he believes the former Florida State star still has areas to improve, like his get-off and counters off the bullrush. That’s what makes Verse’s ceiling so high. “His get-off wasn’t that good, so it’s still so many things for him to build into his game,” Armstead added. “I can see him being Defensive Player of the Year.”
Coming from a player who faced down a decade’s worth of pass rushers, Armstead’s praise is more than a hot take — it’s a warning to the rest of the NFL. Jared Verse isn’t just a promising young player. He’s a legitimate future star who already has All-Pro potential. The Rams have found their next defensive terror — and if Armstead’s prediction comes true, the rest of the league might soon be saying the same thing: “I’m good on seeing that man again.”
