ESPN named new star Jared Verse the Cleveland Browns' biggest X-factor for the 2026 season. Find out why.
The Cleveland Browns acquired Jared Verse from the Los Angeles Rams in the blockbuster Myles Garrett trade and ESPN's Ben Solak believes Verse is the Browns' biggest X-factor for the 2026 season.
Verse won the 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year award with the Rams. He enters this season with 12.0 sacks, 71 solo tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 45 QB hits.
Last season, Verse had 58 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 27 QB hits and three forced fumbles.
"The Browns' defense needs field-flipping plays to create winning environments for their offense, so Verse's pressures are insufficient. He can deliver the ceiling-raising impact of his predecessor only with a leap forward in sack production. Tough shoes to fill, of course. The last guy set the sack record," Solak wrote.
Verse has big shoes to fill in Cleveland since Garrett won two Defensive Player of the Year awards with the Browns. However, Verse has made it crystal clear to everyone that he's not in Cleveland to replace Garrett.
"I'm not here to fill [Garrett's] shoes," Verse said. "I'm here to bring my own ... I'm here to work, and I'm here to be the best version of me. And the best version of me is going to be the best defensive player in the league. And the best defensive player in the league is going to play for the best defense in the league."
It will be fascinating to see how Verse performs in his first season with the Browns, who open the 2026 campaign against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Verse is deeply respected by his peers, as he made the NFL Top 100 Players list again.
In 2025, Verse was at No. 53. This year? He's at No. 35.
Verse produced 99 QB pressures across his first two seasons, the third-most behind Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons (119) and Garrett (109).
The Browns play the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts this season. New coach Todd Monken is starting Deshaun Watson at QB in Week 1.
All signs point to Cleveland missing the playoffs this season, but maybe Verse can put up strong numbers and make his third Pro Bowl.
