Rams News: Jared Verse Not Surprised By Breakout Season From Byron Young

The Los Angeles Rams’ defense was up-and-down during the 2025 season, which was not a surprise considering they were one of the youngest units in the league.

One of their breakout players though was outside linebacker Byron Young, who had a career year in his third season to be named to his first Pro Bowl.

In 17 games, Young had 82 total tackles for the Rams while leading them with 12.0 sacks to go along with 12 tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

While a lot of people were surprised by the season that Young had as a former third-round pick out of Tennessee, one person who wasn’t is fellow outside linebacker Jared Verse, via Wyatt Miller of TheRams.com:

“I don’t know why people (are) surprised BY’s dominating,” Verse said. “You give him the chance to just go win, which we’ve been giving him that chance, that’s exactly what’s gonna happen.”

Verse and Young have grown close over the last two seasons and give the Rams one of the best young pass rushing duos in the league. Verse is coming off a quality season of his own in which he recorded 58 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, being named to his second Pro Bowl in two seasons with L.A.

This should be an interesting offseason for the Rams as a number of their young players are eligible for contract extensions. One of those players is Young, so the Rams will have to decide if they want to pay the outside linebacker coming off a career year, or if they want to wait and see what he does in 2026 before reaching free agency next offseason.

Either way, the Rams’ defense should be much-improved this season with Young and Verse leading the way up front.

Warren McClendon Jr. ‘earned’ Rams starting tackle job

On the other side of the ball, the Rams will have to make up for the loss of long-time starting right tackle Rob Havenstein, who announced his retirement from the NFL. He called it a career after 11 seasons with the Rams, and now Warren McClendon Jr. is expected to take his starting spot.

McClendon started 10 games in 2025 while Havenstein was out with injury played really well. Because of that, head coach Sean McVay believes he has earned the right to be the starter and the team reportedly even has interest in extending the offensive tackle as he also heads into a contract year.