The Browns have said plenty of positive things about Jared Verse since acquiring him in the Myles Garrett trade, but defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg recently offered the most personal and revealing look yet at what it has been like to bring the young pass rusher into the building. He described a player whose energy and leadership presence made an immediate impression before a single padded practice had taken place.
“I wish all the fans could see my first FaceTime with him. All I wanted to do was just be around him and be with him because he was so genuinely excited. We are on the field and I hear, nah, that ain’t the standard, that ain’t the standard. I turn back and it is Jared Verse. You could feel his energy and passion. All you have to do is turn on any Rams game and see how good the guy is. That is easy to see. To feel his energy and already witness his leadership is going to be awesome for our defense along with the other great people and players we have. Not only in that room, but on our defense and football team,” Rutenberg said.
I asked #Browns DC Mike Rutenberg for his elevator pitch on Jared Verse…
If you’re a Browns fan, you’ll love everything about this ⤵️ https://t.co/fP2mhlRMOZ pic.twitter.com/F5slfxjE1i
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 8, 2026
Cleveland lost a player in Garrett who can not be replaced. There is only one Myles Garrett in terms of talent. But Verse is already having a positive impact on the Browns that goes beyond the field with his leadership.
Verse generating that kind of response from his own coaching staff before training camp opens suggests the culture around the Cleveland defense is not going to take a step backward just because the most dominant individual pass rusher in franchise history is no longer suiting up on Sundays.
Coaches who want to praise a player’s film talk about film. Rutenberg talked about character, passion, and the standard that Verse is already demanding from the people around him. That combination of elite talent and elite competitive drive is exactly what Cleveland needs from the player being asked to anchor its defense in the post-Garrett era.
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