Perhaps the best measure of an NFL player is hearing what his opponents have to say about him. If that is the case, the Cleveland Browns should be very happy that Jared Verse is now on their team.
Of course, Verse’s arrival came at the cost of Myles Garret in the blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Rams. Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry said he would not have made the deal without a player like Verse in it, and it’s starting to become clear why the younger edge rusher was so coveted.
Former NFL offensive tackle Terron Armstead said he still recalls the pain of playing against Verse, praising him as “very, very strong.”
“It’s different. I fully meant every word. I still can feel the pains of the bull rush. I had never paid attention to Jared Verse, where he was drafted, until we played them in 2024. That week of preparation, I’m watching film, game planning, and I’m in disbelief, how many offensive tackles he’s running over time and time again. I had never seen nothing like it. It’s something different. The man is very, very strong. When he says he plays a violent game, I agree. I’m excited for him. The Cleveland Browns should be very excited what they have in Jared Verse,” Armstead said.
"It's different." 😤@T_Armstead72 still remembers the feeling of facing off against @JaredVerse1 @Browns | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/RZejAPuDDW
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) June 5, 2026
Verse was the No. 19 overall pick by the Rams in the 2024 NFL Draft, with Armstead about to enter his 12th NFL season, his third with the Miami Dolphins, as a five-time Pro Bowler. Miami visited Los Angeles in Week 10 of that season.
Verse had posted just one sack in his first six NFL games, but he was starting to round into form with 2.5 sacks in the two games leading up to his matchup with Armstead. Against the Dolphins, Verse had one sack, three solo tackles, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Interestingly, he did not have a sack for the rest of that season, leaving him with 4.5. But Verse did post 66 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 18 quarterback hits on his way to winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Last season, Verse had 7.5 sacks, and his pass-rush stats for his first two seasons rank among the best in the game, including when compared to Garrett. In 34 career games, he has 12.0 sacks, 124 combined tackles, 45 quarterback hits, and five forced fumbles. The Browns are hopeful those numbers will continue to improve as he takes over for the two-time Defensive Player of the Year and single-season sacks record holder.
Armstead retired before last season, perhaps hoping he would never have to face the likes of Verse again.
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