Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams
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(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will take their NFC West rivalry abroad when they face off in Australia on Sept. 11 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Moreover, the contest down under will also be for bragging rights between former college teammates.
On the April 10 edition of “The Jim Rome Show,” Rams’ Jared Verse shared the trash talk that will go on between himself and 49ers’ Tatum Bethune and Renardo Green, who were his teammates during their time with the Florida State Seminoles.
“Two of my teammates from Florida State, Tatum Bethune and Renardo Green, both play defense for them,“ Verse said. “Those two went to Florida State with me when we were on the 13-0 team, all that undefeated stuff. We take things really seriously. So whenever we play them, it’s like the biggest beef. We don’t say hi to each otherpregame. We’re talking trash to each other.
“There are no dap-ups. There are no high-fives. There’s nothing like that. They walk by me, I walk by them. So now we’ve got to go all the way to Australia to do this. It’s going to be even higher level because now, when we beat them, I can say I’m beating your ass outside the country, too. I don’t even have to just be in LA and San Francisco. I can beat you anywhere we go.”
Jared Verse Doesn’t Hold Back His Thoughts on the 49ers
Moreover, Verse shared his true thoughts on the 49ers as an organization. The Rams standout noted that there’s both respect and hate toward them, which is understandable given the rivalry.
“I respect San Francisco,“ Verse noted. “I respect the team they have. I respect the O-line. I respect the scheme they run, the people they have on their roster. But I hate San Francisco at the same time.”
Can the Niners Bolster Its Pass Rush This Offseason?
If the 49ers want to edge their rival in Australia, they will need to strengthen their pass rush. Veteran edge rusher Joey Bosa, who spent last season with theBuffalo Bills, has emerged as a potential target. In 2025,Bosa earned a 79.3 overall PFF grade, ranking 17th among 115 qualified edge defenders.
He particularly stood out as a pass rusher, posting an 88.7 grade in that area, while his run-defense grade lagged at 54.6. Over the season, Bosa generated 47 pressures, including five sacks, 12 hits, and 30 hurries. He also contributed 22 solo tackles and forced five fumbles.
Nonetheless, recently, 49ers general manager John Lynch put cold water on that speculation.
“I know that would make Mama Bosa happy, but I don’t know if we can afford him,“ Lynch said (h/tDavid Lombardi of the SF Standard).
However, David Lombardi, who covers the 49ers for the San Francisco Standard, speculates whether the Niners could wait after the draft to see whether they see eye to eye with Bosa on his asking price.
“There is a nonzero chance the 49ers exit the draft without picking up a defensive lineman projected to make the 53‑man roster, leaving holes in their rotation,“Lombardi said on April 4 on his YouTube channel. “If that happens, they might turn their attention back to free agency with a different price point in mind.
“Right now, they don’t see eye to eye with Joey Bosa, but after the draft, when signings don’t count against the compensatory formula, the 49ers could potentially reach an agreement with someone like Bosa.”