When Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry thought about the spring of 2026, he did not anticipate that he would hold a press conference to speak about the trade of DE Myles Garrett.
But on June 1, the Browns traded Garrett to the Rams in exchange for DE Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.
Berry explained he had three key factors that must be met if the Browns were ever in the position to trade Garrett – the trade had to have short and long-term benefits; the trade had to include a young, cost-controlled star at a premium position; and there had to be premium draft capital included. When the Rams initially called to inquire about Garrett, later progressing to where the Rams met those requirements, Berry had to evaluate the situation.
"Our intent was to have him be a one-helmet player for his career – and that was the truth," Berry said. "And even to this day, when Myles' career is over, we look forward to welcoming him back into the organization. But there are moments, particularly in my job where opportunities come up that quite honestly are unexpected, and they force you to stop and reevaluate and look at it and say, 'Hey, is this something that could be really beneficial to the team? ' And that was the case in this instance where it got to a certain point where we looked at what the trade details were, and we asked ourselves, 'OK, do we hold here, regardless of how emotionally right it felt, or do we ultimately make a decision that we think has a huge benefit to the team in both the short and long term?'"
He also explained that as the Rams continued their pursuit of Garrett, the inclusion of one key element changed the initial tone of the conversations – DE Jared Verse. At 25 years old, Verse fit the bill for a young star at a premium position.
Verse was originally drafted by the Rams as the 19th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and quickly established himself as having a dominant defensive presence. Verse was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons and was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024.
He has appeared in 34 career games in his first two seasons, and has recorded 124 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He has also blocked one field goal with a return for a touchdown. Verse has appeared in five career postseason games and recorded 13 tackles, six tackles for a loss, three sacks and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
"Jared Verse, he's obviously a huge part of this return for us," Berry said. "Jared is an outstanding football player, former Defensive Rookie of the Year, two-time original ballot Pro Bowler. He's a perfect DNA match for our attacking front. He's really a terror in both phases as a run defender and a pass rusher. And we are really, really excited to add him to our team. He allows us to continue to play defense as a high level, which has been our standard over the past several seasons, and we're really excited to welcome him into the organization. "
Now in Cleveland, Verse joins a defensive line that features players like DT Maliek Collins, DT Mason Graham and DT Kalia Davis on the interior, and DE Isaiah McGuire and DE Alex Wright on the edge. Verse has an opportunity to step into a prominent role in defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg's defense as an edge rusher – utilizing his skillset and ability to pressure quarterbacks to their advantage.
According to PFF, Verse generated 80 total pressures as a pass rusher during the 2025 season – which included eight sacks, 52 hurries and 20 hits. He also recorded 38 tackles against the run.
"He's a perfect fit as an edge rusher for our defense," Berry said.
Following the trade, Berry spoke with Verse on the phone, and said Verse expressed his excitement to play for the Browns and be a member of their defense.
"He's ready to go. I think he's really excited to play in the scheme," Berry said. "He's from Dayton, Ohio. His sister is still here and everything like that, but he's going to be fun. He's s a ton of energy."
