When the Cleveland Browns traded away Myles Garrett, critics declared Cleveland's defense had lost its heartbeat. But one NFL analyst believes Jared Verse brings a game-changing trait Garrett never possessed.

“What the Browns give up in sacks with Verse, he had 7.5 last year to Garrett’s 23.0, they may gain in passion, enthusiasm, and team building,” wrote NFL insider Mary Kay Cabot via cleveland.com. " And when the Browns spread the wealth, everybody wins. He will also likely bring more elite team leadership than Garrett did, and be more of a unifier on the defense."

According to Cabot, Jared Verse possesses the leadership qualities that were missing with Myles Garrett. That single trait makes the trade more favorable for Cleveland, which already boasts a strong defensive line.

“He might not produce half the sacks Garrett did last season, but Verse is shaping up to be a superhero in his own right,” Cabot added in her July 9 cleveland.com report.

With Cleveland building their defense around Carson Schwesinger, Verse could be a huge help in guiding the linebacker into becoming the focal point of the unit.

Garrett's 23-sack campaign last season was one for the ages, a feat only a handful of pass rushers in NFL history could replicate.

The Browns insider believes that while Jared Verse may not match that level of production from Day 1, his biggest contribution could come through leadership and accountability.

While Cabot believes Verse may not match Myles Garrett's production, ESPN insider Bill Barnwell expects the exact opposite.

Analyst makes bold Jared Verse prediction over Myles Garrett

Last season, Jared Verse recorded 7.5 sacks, 58 total tackles, three forced fumbles, and one pass defended. He has emerged as one of the league's top defensive linemen, and ESPN insider Bill Barnwell believes Verse could surpass Myles Garrett this season.

“Jared Verse finishes the year with more sacks than Myles Garrett,” Barnwell said on The Bill Barnwell Show on July 9.

Granted, it is quite a bold statement from Barnwell. But Verse has amassed 12.0 sacks in his first two NFL seasons. His pass-rush efficiency rivals Garrett's across several key metrics.

Interestingly, Barnwell called Verse a "phenomenal football player" and even went on to give the exact numbers he believes Verse and Garrett could possibly have this season.

"So could I see Jared Verse having like a 14 sack season and Miles Garrett have a 13 and a half sack season? Yeah, of course,” added Barnwell on July 9.

Given that, what are your thoughts on Jared Verse? Will he have more than 10 sacks this year?

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit