Defensive end Jared Verse, the centerpiece of the Cleveland Browns‘ trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, isn’t interested in replacing the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year — at least not on anyone else’s terms.
Garrett is unquestionably the best defensive player in the league right now. He arguably has been for the past three seasons or so, and could well be for another year or two moving forward. And while Verse will be stepping in for Garrett as the Browns’ top edge defender in 2026 and beyond, he’s not interested in carrying his predecessor’s torch.
Instead, Verse intends to light a fire of his own.
“I’m not here to fill [Myles Garrett’s] shoes, I’m here to bring my own,” Verse said, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. “I’m here to be the best version of me. And the best version of me is gonna be the best defensive player in the league.”
Jared Verse Already Among Top Edge Defenders in NFL After 2 Seasons
GettyCleveland Browns defensive end Jared Verse.
Non-believers can doubt Verse at their own peril, but he has made a strong case for himself as a potential superstar across his first two campaigns.
A first-round pick out of Florida State in 2024, Verse is a two-time Pro Bowler and won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He finished last season as the 11th-best edge defender out of 115 players at the position who saw enough snaps to qualify, according to Pro Football Reference.
Garrett, after a record-setting season with 23 sacks and a league-leading 33 tackles for loss, finished first.
Verse put up 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks last season, though his on-field impact was far closer to Garrett’s than a quick glance indicates. Verse was sixth in total pressures (80), sixth in QB hurries (52) and second in hits (20), per PFF. Garrett finished with 84 total pressures, 45 hurries and 14 hits.
Garrett had a better PFF run defense grade of 82.5 (third among edge-rushers) than Verse’s 62.0 mark (63rd). However, according to ESPN statistics, Verse’s run stop win rate of 35 percent (81 stops on 233 snaps) was second in the NFL to only Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders. Garrett did not finish inside the top 10.
As far as pass rush win rate, Garrett ended up sixth last season, while Verse landed outside the top 20.
Myles Garrett Already Expensive, Likely to Get Pricier This Summer
GettyDefensive end Myles Garrett of the Los Angeles Rams.
There is not an argument that Verse is as good or as valuable now at 25 years old as Garrett is at 30. That said, Garrett is turning 31 late this season and won’t even start in on a four-year, $160 million extension until the 2027 campaign.
Not to mention, ESPN’s Mina Kimes predicted on the Wednesday edition of her podcast that Garrett is likely to ask for, and receive, a raise on his coming $40 million per year salary to match the record-setting $50 million annually that the Houston Texans just gave Will Anderson Jr.
Verse turns 26 years old this winter and still has two years remaining on his $15 million rookie deal, plus a club option for 2028 that Cleveland is all but certain to exercise ahead of the deadline to do so on May 1, 2027.
Jared Verse Does Not Have to Become as Good as Myles Garrett for Trade to Prove Win for Browns
GettyCleveland Browns pass-rusher Jared Verse.
It is unlikely that Verse will ever actually be the best defensive player in the league, as achieving that goal is incredibly rare and difficult among immensely talented competition, not to mention all of the health luck and other factors involved.
That said, an argument can certainly be made that he will provide better production-to-salary value for the Browns over the next three years than Garrett would have, specifically because Cleveland doesn’t forecast as a true contender this year, or even the next.
The Browns’ best/earliest chance to factor in significantly to the playoff discussion will come in 2028, one year after the team presumably lands a franchise QB in Round 1 of a stacked 2027 draft class.
Given Verse’s current trajectory, it is possible he will be a better player than Garrett straight up by 2028, not even considering contract value and the immense amount the Rams will still be paying the reigning DPOY.
And one must judge the overall value of the trade from Cleveland’s side based not just on how well Verse plays and how good he becomes, but on how the Browns utilize the first-round pick (2027), second-round selection (2028) and third-rounder (2029) that also came over with Verse from L.A. in the deal.
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