The Los Angeles Rams aquired one of the most accomplished defensive players in NFL history when Aaron Donald ended his retirement.
But the reunion could come with a tradeoff for a young linemen who helped replace him.
Braden Fiske, a 2024 second-round pick who burst onto the scene with a team-high 8.5 sacks as a rookie, now faces a potentially smaller role in a deeper Rams front.
Sports Illustrated‘s Blaine Grisak identified Fiske as one of three “losers” from the Rams’ initial 53-man roster, pointing directly to Donald’s return as the development that could alter Fiske’s standing in the defensive-line rotation.
The concern centers less on Fiske’s place on the roster and more on how many opportunities remain available after Los Angeles dropped a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year into an already full-capacity group.
Donald Return Could Cut Into Fiske’s Role
Grisak wrote that Fiske “hasn’t flashed this summer” and has “taken a step back since his rookie season.” He added that a reduced role could ultimately help Fiske while simultaneously limiting his overall roof.
There’s statistical context behind that assessment.
Fiske recorded 44 tackles, 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles across 17 games as a rookie, starting eight. His sack total led the Rams during the 2024 regular season and established him as one of the team’s most promising young pass rushers.
His conventional production dipped in Year 2.
Fiske started 16 of 17 games in 2025 but finished with 30 tackles and three sacks. He also went without a forced fumble after producing two during his rookie campaign.
The sack decline didn’t erase his effectiveness as a pass rusher. Pro Football Focus credited Fiske with 42 pressures on 365 pass-rush snaps last season, which ranked 16th among interior defenders. He added eight quarterback hits and 31 hurries.
That profile could make Fiske particularly convenient in a rotation assembled to keep Donald fresh.
Donald returned at 35 after spending two seasons away from football. The Rams began ramping him up in practice after his Aug. 30 return, while Donald said he still believes he can play at a high level.
Even a managed workload for Donald creates a numbers crunch inside.
Rams Can Turn Potential Fiske Problem Into an Advantage
Los Angeles enters 2026 with more defensive-line firepower than it had when Donald retired following the 2023 season.
Fiske has compiled 11.5 sacks and 93 pressures through his first 34 regular-season games, per his official Rams biography. Rather than asking him to handle the workload that came with 16 starts last season, the Rams can pick their spots and deploy him as part of a deeper rotation.
That may prove valuable after Fiske’s sophomore sack total fell by more than half.
Donald returns with 111 career sacks, 176 tackles for loss and 790 pressures, according to the Rams’ official team website.
Even if Los Angeles manages his snaps, his presence figures to command considerable attention from opposing offensive lines and generate more favorable matchups elsewhere, so Fiske could become one of the primary beneficiaries.
Grisak acknowledged that possibility despite placing Fiske on the losing side of the roster fallout, suggesting a smaller role alongside Donald could help the third-year defender.
For a player who produced 8.5 sacks when he carried a lighter starting burden as a rookie, fewer snaps don’t necessarily mean less impact. Nonetheless, the challenge will be making those opportunities count.
Donald’s comeback may lower Fiske’s projected workload. But the 26-year-old may edge toward rediscovering the disruptive form that made his rookie season stand out.
LA Rams’ 8.5-Sack Starter’s Role in Jeopardy After Aaron Donald Comeback