Retired offensive lineman Terron Armstead was asked on The Rich Eisen Show about the future of the NFL’s defensive faces of the league, and Armstead said he loves Aidan Hutchinson’s game, but he also shouted out Jared Verse as a player who could win Defensive Player of the Year. He’s confident in the young defensive lineman’s ability because Verse has a raw power few have. He’s different.
Armstead was drafted by the New Orleans Saints back in 2013, and as he accrued his 10+ years of experience he saw legends from James Harrison to Von Miller, and after seeing Jared Verse last year, Armstead feels strongly that the Los Angeles Rams found someone who can someday bring home a Defensive Player of the Year award like the many greats before him.
The Defensive Rookie of the Year certainly left an impression as Armstead spoke about Verse recently on Sirius XM, and now here is the retired veteran on the Rich Eisen Show talking about Verse again.
Said Armstead,
“Jared Verse, I’m very very loud about what I believe he will be able to do. The boy’s strong, it’s different, different level of strength. It is. I don’t know exactly what it...because he’s not the biggest, he’s not the...I played James Harrison and Dustin Smith...very strong humans. Jared Verse has something different with his...with his power.”
When the Miami Dolphins played the Rams in 2024, Armstead said that he could already tell Verse was good on film. After that game, he felt that Verse was as powerful as advertised, maybe even more so than on tape.
“I saw it on film. I’m preparing, we’re preparing for the Rams, big game for us too, cause we kinda going through a rough patch in the season, and the Rams were heating up as they made their playoff push, and I’m watching the film and he is running people over. Not just knocking people back, he is running people over on his way to the quarterback. So, the first series against the Rams I’m...like I’m excited to see...I need to see what’s this power about. The first series...he did a bullrush...we passed the ball, threw it on first down and I’m laughing like ‘Yo that’s funny’ that he pushed me back like that. It was interesting to see this... is different, I’ve seen it on film, so the rest of the game I’m trying to get on him quick, I don’t want to let him get started...he has a pop that is just different, it’s hard to explain. You’ll see more of it this year.”
The 5-time Pro Bowler expects Verse to improve year after year, and he responded point blank that Verse can win a Defensive Player of the Year award after Eisen proposed the idea.
“I feel that strongly, I feel as he continues to craft his game, to get more off the bullrush, some hand swipes, things that look like a bullrush all the way up until the end...his get off...wasn’t that good...it’s still so many things for him to build into his game...I can see him being Defensive Player of the Year.”
Armstead expects big things as Verse enters his second season at the NFL level, so do the Rams and so does Verse.
