Cleveland Browns pass rusher Jared Verse talked all sorts of trash heading into last week’s game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was his first game in Pittsburgh as a member of the Browns and he did all he could to fire his boys up to finally end that 22-game regular-season losing skid against their AFC North rivals, but it didn’t happen and he came out of the game having been humbled.
He had just one tackle in the loss and the most noteworthy play he was involved in came when he got flipped on his head, which he eventually called out his teammates for. His comments were used as bulletin board material and it was overall not a good look for him, especially considering that the season is nearing the halfway mark and he still doesn’t have a sack.
He talked a big game and didn’t back it up, so the microscope is now on the young edge rusher. While speaking with the media on Thursday, Verse was asked about the slow start and said the stats don’t always tell the whole story.
“I think I’ve not done myself a service in playing the way with the way I want to play. I think there’s been a lot of attention focused on me not doing this aspect, that aspect, and I don’t think we’ve been getting enough third-and-longs to put myself in a position to get the stats. But I think stats can be rather confusing for a lot of people,” Verse said.
#Browns Jared Verse was asked if he is playing better than his numbers have shown so far. pic.twitter.com/ppvUdZ5KVW
— Coop (The Real Justin Cooper) (@JJCoop25) November 5, 2026
The fans were patient with Verse despite not having a sack and because the team was winning, but when you talk as much as he did heading into the biggest game of the year and then don’t deliver, it puts a target on your back. He’ll be under a microscope going forward until he starts putting up numbers, and we’ll see if this can light a fire under him.
Cleveland is getting to the quarterback collectively, but most of that production is coming from positions other than edge rusher. Mason Graham and Maliek Collins have been living in the backfield, and while Verse has been consistently in the mix, it’s starting to get a little concerning that he hasn’t showed up in the most notable stat category.
With a matchup against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Verse won’t have an easy path to getting his first sack. Tyler Shough has been taken down just 15 times in seven games, so we’ll see if last week’s humbling experience can help get Verse on the board.
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