The Cleveland Browns defensive line brings back three of its four starters from a dominant 2025 season, and yet, the one person missing has changed the entire outlook of this unit and, frankly, the entire team. 

That June 1 blockbuster trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for a collection of future picks and young pass rusher Jared Verse, changed the landscape of the NFL and the Browns' future. 

Cleveland walked away largely lauded for what they got back in return for the best non-quarterback in football. Training camp will provide the first revelatory glimpse at just how good the trade was, with Verse now anchoring the d-line. 

Here's what's in store for this new look group. 

Defensive End: Jared Verse, Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire, Julian Okwara, Logan Fano, Tyreak Sapp, Khordee Sydnor

Defensive Tackle: Mason Graham, Maliek Collins, Kalia Davis, Mike Hall Jr. Adin Huntington, Sam Kamara

Isn't it obvious? Myles Garrett is gone, and while nobody should expect any individual player in this group to replicate Garrett's ability or numbers, they have to show everyone what their identity is without him.

Who are they? How dominant can they still be? Who's going to pick up the slack when teams don't have to dedicate two or three blockers to one guy almost every snap? Those smaller questions are all part of the bigger picture question that Cleveland's D-line will look to answer in the coming weeks.

On a more personal level, Verse shouldn't be expected to fill Garrett's shoes, but as the key piece that pushed GM Andrew Berry to pull the trigger on the trade with the Rams, he has plenty to prove.

How much attention can he command every week to make life easier for others? Will his ascension continue as a rising star at the position? How much of Garrett's production can he account for? Those things should start to become clearer when the pads come one and the intensity picks up at training camp. The good news is, Verse seems highly motivated after the trade. 

Verse puts together his best season, racking up over 10 sacks for a new career high, and eases everyone's minds about Garrett's departure. By season's end, he's proven to be a game-wrecker and cemented himself as one of the league's top 10 edge rushers. 

On the opposite side, Wright puts together a breakout performance, raising his game in Garrett's absence. That extends to others across the front as well, where the wealth is shared among the entire group rather than just one singular player.  

In his second year, Graham becomes more impactful from the defensive interior alongside veteran Maliek Collins, who bounces back from a quad injury to pick up from where he left off during a highly productive 2025. 

The production for Verse either levels off at about where it was last year or dips altogether. He also shows little development in his game as far as continuing to add to arsenal of pass rush moves. 

This scenario would also produce minimal to no growth from Wright or Graham, who end up looking more like supporting cast members than true cornerstones along the defensive front. Meanwhile, Collins also struggles in his return from injury and his play starts to fade as he rounds the turn into his early 30s. 

Garrett's absence would essentially expose bigger flaws with this unit's makeup as a whole, leaving more questions than answers as the Browns head into a pivotal 2027 offseason. 

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