Jared Verse will always be remembered as the player the Cleveland Browns got in the Myles Garrett trade. He didn't ask for that, and those are some impossible shoes to fill, but that's just the way things go in this line of business.
However, Verse's play has been underwhelming, to say the least. His impact on and off the field might go beyond the numbers, but after eight games, it's about time he also pops up on the stat sheet.
Verse also didn't walk the walk after talking the talk in the days leading up to Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hopefully, hearing Steelers safety Jaquan Brisker call him out will give Verse the push he needs to get over the hump.
“He should have kept his mouth shut," Brisker said postgame, via Ashley Wenskoski of WPGH FOX 53. "All that talk, and then to come out with 0 tackles? You didn't stand on business. He gotta look at himself in the mirror and get better."
It's about time Jared Verse steps up for the Cleveland Browns
Again, Verse has been a solid contributor against the run, not to mention a vocal leader from the day he set foot in Northeast Ohio. That said, the fans don't care about moral victories as much as they do wins and measurable impact.
The former Defensive Rookie of the Year has yet to record a sack despite playing 200 pass-rushing snaps. He has 18 total tackles (10 solo), four tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits. That's not the type of production one would expect from a former first-round pick, regardless of whether he was part of the Garrett trade or not.
According to Pro Football Focus, Verse has registered only 13 pressures, including eight hurries. This is also the longest streak in his young career where he's failed to register a sack, a disappointing development after he put up 7.5 last season.
Verse stood by everything he said before the Steelers game, and he insists he doesn't care about his numbers. That's noble, but as much as his teammates might value his leadership, Verse is clearly starting to become a distraction. Sometimes, it's better to let your game do the talking.
We're just eight games into Verse's Browns tenure, so it's way too early to jump to conclusions, call him a bust, or implore the team to cut ties with him.
That said, the sample size is big enough to at least be concerned. Hopefully, becoming the butt of the joke from a divisional rival will finally light that fire inside him.
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