Cleveland Browns defensive end Jared Verse drew criticism after another quiet outing in Sunday’s 17-12 loss to the New York Jets, finishing with three tackles and no sacks as interior linemen generated most of the pressure.
The Browns recorded four sacks of Jets quarterback Geno Smith but Verse did not contribute one. Through five games this season he has 13 tackles and zero sacks, a sharp drop from the 7.5 sacks he posted for the Los Angeles Rams in 2025.
Verse arrived in Cleveland in an offseason trade that sent longtime star Myles Garrett to the Rams. The move placed him in a featured role on a defensive line still adjusting to life without its former centerpiece.
Longtime Browns analyst Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland questioned both Verse’s effectiveness and his alignment.
“He doesn’t have the get-off to line up like Myles Garrett did, five yards away from the offensive tackle,” Grossi said.
“I thought Verse was ineffective. (Isaiah) McGuire, the other end, was ineffective. The tackles put all the pressure on Geno Smith and they did a great job.”
Cleveland’s interior players supplied the finishing plays. Maliek Collins recorded 1.5 sacks, Sam Kamara added one, Carson Schwesinger had one, and Adin Huntington shared a sack with Collins. The Browns finished with eight tackles for loss.
Those numbers came despite significant absences inside. Mason Graham missed the game with knee and ankle injuries, Mike Hall Jr. was out with an ankle injury, and Kalia Davis remained unavailable while recovering from a quadriceps injury. Cleveland elevated Kamara and Chris Williams from the practice squad to help fill the gaps.
The defense still gave the Browns opportunities. New York scored on its opening possession when Garrett Wilson caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith. Cleveland then forced punts on the Jets’ next five drives and limited New York to one more score until late in the fourth quarter.
A special teams mistake changed the outcome. With Cleveland protecting a 12-10 lead after Deshaun Watson’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Boston, punter Corey Bojorquez mishandled a snap. The Jets recovered and Braelon Allen scored on a 22-yard run to put New York ahead for good. Allen finished with 116 yards on 24 carries.
Schwesinger nearly sealed the game earlier, stripping Smith on a sack that Huntington recovered. The Browns could not convert the ensuing possession into a first down, and the special teams error handed the Jets a short field.
Cleveland’s offense managed only 198 net yards and 13 first downs, both season lows. Watson completed 15 of 33 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown while being sacked eight times. Andre Szmyt made field goals of 25 and 41 yards but missed the extra point after Boston’s score.
The Browns return home for an AFC North matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 18. Baltimore beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-23 in overtime Sunday night without Lamar Jackson, who sat out with an ankle injury. Tyler Huntley led a late tying drive and scored on a quarterback sneak in overtime, and Kyle Hamilton finished the game with an interception.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Jackson has a “real chance” to return against Cleveland depending on how he responds to rehabilitation.
For Verse, the divisional game offers another opportunity to produce the disruptive performance the Browns have been waiting to see from their new starting edge rusher.
