Rams LB Jared Verse reveals feeling 'nervous' before Matthew Stafford's $84,000,000 deal

Appearing on the Rich Eisen show on Friday, LA Rams linebacker Jared Verse talked about how relieved he felt after the team agreed on a deal with Matthew Stafford to bring the veteran quarterback back for another season.

When asked if he was nervous that Stafford wasn't coming back at some point, Verse replied:

"Yeah, a little bit."

"I ain't gonna lie, I was a little bit nervous. And then, one day, I woke up and saw the news, and I started smiling," Verse added.

Many assumed Stafford was leaving Los Angeles at the start of this year's offseason, as his agency requested and received permission to negotiate with other teams in the league. Despite speculations that multiple clubs were interested in acquiring the veteran quarterback, Stafford and the Rams eventually negotiated an agreement, and he will now remain with the team.

Stafford, who was expected to make less than $60 million in the last two years of his contract, will now make $84 million on his reworked contract with the Rams.

Jared Verse, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, only played one season with Stafford, but he seems to have already developed a fondness for the 37-year-old quarterback.

Verse likened the 2021 Super Bowl winner to Captain America when asked about Stafford as a teammate and his leadership qualities.

“You've seen Marvel? He's like Captain America," Verse said. "He’s really composed all the time, really collected all the time, even during big moments. But he knows how to hype people up right before the game. It’s always enough to hear every word, and you get hyped up, and you get ready for the game.”

Both Stafford and Verse helped the Rams to the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs in 2024. The former Detroit Lions quarterback has helped the Rams to three postseason berths in his four years with the franchise, including a 2021 Super Bowl triumph.

The Rams and Stafford are expected to make another deep playoff push in 2025 on a squad that is expanding and includes a number of promising young players, including Jared Verse.

Jared Verse will be looking to build on his impressive rookie season in 2025

Jared Verse is ready to build on his stellar debut campaign in 2025. He recorded an NFL-high 89 pressures last year and was awarded the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Verse showed few weaknesses in his performance in 2024, standing out as one of just two edge defenders, alongside T.J. Watt, to achieve a PFF grade of at least 80.0 in both pass rushing and run-stopping.

Although Verse had an outstanding rookie year in the league, there is still potential for growth in his second year. He especially needs to improve on his missed tackles, as he missed 21 in 2024.