Jared Verse has only been in Cleveland for a matter of weeks, but the centerpiece of the Myles Garrett trade is already forming strong opinions about what kind of team the Browns can be in 2026. Appearing on a recent podcast, Verse broke down exactly what he has observed since arriving.
Verse did not hold back when describing what he is seeing on the practice field with his new team.
“In the NFL, the margin for error is so small. You can be 2 steps outside of a tackle, and he might take you for 40 yards, and now you’re down 7 versus you’re 2 steps closer, you make that play. That’s exactly what this football team was last year. Just a small difference between good and great was making those plays. We were making those plays. My impression was this isn’t going to be a 5-12 team. It’s going to be a lot different, just by the way people are practicing and executing,” Verse said.
Verse is not a long-tenured Brown trying to defend the roster out of loyalty. He is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year who has played at a high level in this league and understands what separates winning teams from losing ones.
Football at the NFL level is frequently decided by inches and fractions of a second, along with aligned execution. A missed tackle that turns into a 40-yard gain instead of a 5-yard gain is the difference between a defense getting off the field and a defense surrendering points. Verse is describing a team that was closer to competitive football than the final standings indicated.
Cleveland enters 2026 with a defense that lost its most iconic player but gained a proven, ascending talent in return, along with a significant haul of future draft capital.
Browns fans are wondering what life looks like after Myles Garrett. Verse is already making the case that it might look a lot better than anyone expected.
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