Browns edge rusher Jared Verse searches for his spark

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Jared Verse hasn’t been shy in stating his opinions about opponents or his Cleveland Browns teammates.

Coach Todd Monken and others hope the edge rusher’s production on the field will rise to the same level.

Verse is still seeking his first sack with the Browns after being acquired in the June blockbuster trade that sent two-time AP Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams.

Instead of moving on to Sunday’s game at New Orleans, Verse was still talking about last week’s 27-6 loss at Pittsburgh.

Verse not only expressed disappointment in being held to an assisted tackle, but he was equally upset that teammates didn’t come to his aid after Steelers guard Mason McCormick body-slammed him into the ground on Chris Boswell’s extra-point attempt in the first quarter.

However, Verse also admitted he should have told his teammates he planned to discuss his hatred of the Steelers leading up to the game.

“I made my issues known about the situation, but also I didn’t put them in a position to let them know that. I didn’t let them know beforehand I was going to talk the way I talked to Steelers and the Steeler Nation or whatever they are,” Verse said on Thursday. “I’ve got to be better than that. I didn’t do enough on my part, and we all got to pick it up.”

Most of the Browns players on the field, though, had their backs to Verse watching the extra-point attempt or running toward the sideline since they thought the play was over.

Special teams coach Byron Storer and linebacker Carson Schwesinger both said they did not see what happened on the play until after the game.

“Obviously it’s something if you see it, you go to his defense. It’s something that you don’t want to see in the game,” Schwesinger said.

Verse has had only one pressure in each of the past two games, and two others with none. He had only three games with one or fewer pressures in his first two seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Rams.

Verse led the Rams with 67 quarterback pressures last season and was second with 7 1/2 sacks. He generated 143 pressures in 2024 and ’25, tied for fifth most in the league.

The Browns hoped that when they acquired Verse, he could turn those pressures into more sacks.

“I think I’ve not done myself a service in playing the way I want. I think a lot of attention has been focused on me not doing enough on this aspect, that aspect,” Verse said. “I don’t think we’ve been getting enough third-and-longs for me to put myself in position to get the stats and stuff like that. But I think stats can be rather confusing for a lot of people.”

While Verse pointed to third down, nine of his 12 career sacks have come on either first or second down.

Verse is hoping to get back on track against the Saints. The Browns defense has forced pressure on 36.9% of drop-backs, which is 13th in the league, and is tied for ninth with 21 sacks entering Week 9.

Despite struggling on the field, Verse isn’t ready to change how he motivates himself before games.

“I don’t think it’s any secret that I like to talk. I like to attack things. I like to be verbal in the way I play and the way I talk and the way I move around and everything,” he said. “I think I could have invited my teammates in on the conversation of letting them know what I was going to do, but I think that’s just how I am.”

The Browns (5-3) are looking to avoid consecutive losses for the first time this season. Quarterback Deshaun Watson remains in the concussion protocol and didn’t practice for a second straight day. Shedeur Sanders worked with the starters and could make his first start of the season on Sunday.

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