The Cleveland Browns maintain that they would not have traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams if they had not gotten Jared Verse as part of the return. The younger edge rusher was seen as an immediate replacement for this season and a new building block for the future.
Then, after he arrived in Cleveland, Verse looked to be even more than the Browns were hoping for. His attitude and energy added life to the defense that it didn’t necessarily have under Garrett.
The Browns’ newcomer will soon have to make it pay off on the field, and ESPN insider Bill Barnwell is turning heads with a wild Verse prediction.
“Jared Verse finishes the year with more sacks than Myles Garrett,” Barnwell said.
That may not seem to be very likely, based on the past performances of each player. Garrett set the NFL single-season record for sacks with 23.0 last year, has had at least 14.0 in each of the past five seasons, and has had at least 10.0 in all but one of his nine NFL seasons.
Verse posted 12.0 sacks combined in his first two years with the Rams, including a career-high of 7.5 last season. However, his pass-rush metrics do compare favorably to Garrett’s, so perhaps a breakout season should not be ruled out.
With the Browns potentially trailing late in most of their games this season, Verse may not have as many good opportunities for sacks. Opponents are unlikely to be passing to catch up, instead running the ball to work the clock.
The Rams are considered Super Bowl favorites, and their opponents are more likely to be dropping back late in games. That would give Garrett a better chance to rack up sacks than he ever had with the Browns.
Verse and Garrett are going to be compared to each other as long as both are still in the league, and the younger player may surpass the older player someday, but to think it will happen this season may be asking just a little bit too much.
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