With multiple teams reportedly looking to acquire Myles Garrett and the Los Angeles Rams desperate for him, the Cleveland Browns drew a line in the sand. Adding Jared Verse to the trade was a non-negotiable, and Rams GM Les Snead ultimately complied.
Verse took it upon himself to elevate the Browns' standards and lead the post-Jim Schwartz defense. He kept everyone — himself included — on their toes throughout training camp, proving the Browns were right about him.
Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case in Week 1.
Right as Browns fans were ready to dunk on the Rams after Garrett's disappointing debut and subsequent injury that landed him on short-term injured reserve, Verse was a no-show himself in a blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
As it turns out, it's one thing to want to be like Myles Garrett. It's another thing to get the Garrett treatment.
Jared Verse must be better against chip blocks and double teams
According to ESPN insider Daniel Oyefusi, Verse faced chip blocks on 31.1 percent of his pass rushes and double teams 12.5 percent of the time against Jacksonville. That's up from a 16.5 percent chip-block and an 11.2 percent double-team rate over his first two seasons in Los Angeles.
Following the game, Verse admitted that he let the little things get in his head, adding that he can't allow himself to struggle so much against chip blocks. It was nice to see him take responsibility and be accountable after the loss, but now it's all about bouncing back.
The Browns' pass rush was always going to take a hit without Garrett. Losing Alex Wright for the season put even more pressure on the new star in town, and Verse wasn't up to the task in his first challenge of the season.
As a whole, the Browns only managed to pressure Trevor Lawrence on four of his 24 dropbacks. That's not solely on Verse, and defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg will have to work overtime to figure out how to disrupt the pocket.
As good as the Browns' secondary is, they can only cover for so long. Lawrence had all day to throw, and that's a recipe for disaster. Verse was put in a tough spot, but he was going against a subpar offensive line. This was a disappointing first game with the organization, to say the least.
On the bright side, Mason Graham did show big signs of improvement from his rookie year. He logged the first full sack of his career, and with Verse's prowess against the run, they could be one of the most feared tandems in the game for years to come.
But after all the hype and talking the talk, it's also time for Verse to walk the walk.
He never claimed to be the Browns' next Myles Garrett, and he didn't even ask to be put in this situation. Still, he'll always go down as the guy the Browns got in return for the best defensive player in franchise history, and other teams will also treat him as such.
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