When edge rusher Jared Verse was traded to the Cleveland Browns back in June as part of the package for Myles Garrett, there was a lot of chatter about how Verse would fit in with the team. Would he be expected to duplicate Garrett's importance to the Browns, and how would fans react to him, considering the huge shoes he was filling?
Two-plus months later and two weeks into training camp, the answer to how Verse is fitting in with his new squad is easy to see as he's getting rave reviews from his head coach, Todd Monken, and his teammates.
Monken recently raved about Verse after watching newly drafted offensive lineman Spencer Fano get coached up by the new defensive star, saying this about Verse:
“After practice, he’s trying to get Spencer better. And it was like, within five reps, I saw it. I saw Spencer get better. And it was him teaching him like he was a coach, and it was awesome.”
While it's good to see Verse's new team excited, what's a bit of a surprise is that despite the Browns not winning any popularity contests nationally, Verse is still getting many national accolades even after the trade. In a recent PFF review of the best defensive edge rushers in the NFL, they ranked Verse at No. 11 overall:
"While it’s never good to lose a player the caliber of Myles Garrett, getting Jared Verse as part of the trade package was a smart move by the Browns. In two seasons in the NFL, Verse has produced 189 total pressures from 1,182 pass-rushing snaps and possesses one of the most devastating bull rushes in football. Heading into Year 3, he becomes the focal point of the Browns’ pass-rush."
The accolades have kept coming for Verse, as he was also ranked No. 35 in the recent NFL Top 100 voted on by fellow players, so his opponents certainly appreciate him as he enters his third season. While the team colors have changed for Verse, his talents aren't going unnoticed, and that hopefully will rub off on his new team's success this season.
From mentoring Spencer Fano to earning national recognition, Jared Verse is already thriving in Cleveland
Verse was voted the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year two years ago. His new Cleveland teammate, Carson Schwesinger, won the same award last season, so that fact bodes well for the Browns as well. Verse said this about his new teammate Schwesinger recently:
"He can work. I like that a lot. I like knowing that behind me that I can. ... I don’t got much to worry about if something, you know, I can play freely because I don’t have to worry if something gets by me. He’s going to be able to handle that. He’s going to be able to clean everything up. So now that’s the exciting factor of it.”
It's good to see Verse continue to get praise for his play while also giving shoutouts to his own teammates.
Now, there may be a few bumps in the road, like this past week at training camp when Verse and his teammate Fano got into a scuffle during practice. However, the outcome for the team may be more positive in the long term.
After that dustup on the field, it might have finally signaled who will be the Browns' starting left tackle. That payoff to the team is partially why I believe the trade for Verse will be a much bigger story in the long run. The impact he's already making with the Browns is something to admire, and hopefully that positive energy keeps going for both player and team.
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