The Cleveland Browns were a strong fit for an edge-rusher to play alongside Myles Garrett when they still had him. Now, even with Jared Verse filling the role of DE1 on the roster, the defense could use some help off the edge even more.
Jadeveon Clowney has been an NFL mercenary ever since departing the Houston Texans, the franchise that selected him No. 1 overall in 2014. The one place he’s played longer than a single season was Cleveland, where Clowney had a two-year stint in 2021 and 2022.
A three-time Pro Bowler before he landed with the Browns, Clowney put up 19 QB hits, 11 tackles for loss and nine sacks during his first season with the franchise. However, his production fell off the following year, when the defensive end produced just four tackles for loss and two sacks.
He has been more consistent in the three years since, one each with the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, respectively. Clowney has tallied 23.5 sacks across 44 games played over those three campaigns. He remains a free agent as of early June and will play the upcoming season at 33 years old.
Cleveland should be able to pursue Clowney for a reasonable price, even despite the 12 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks he put up in just 13 games played for the Cowboys last season. Spotrac projects his market value at just $5.7 million on a one-year deal in 2026.
Jared Verse Rising Star in NFL at Defensive End Position
GettyDefensive end Jared Verse of the Cleveland Browns.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry insisted on Tuesday, June 2 — one day after the blockbuster deal shipping the two-time Defensive Player of the Year to the Los Angeles Rams — that Cleveland is not tanking. He pointed to the necessity of Verse as part of the Garrett deal as evidence of that.
“We have an excellent defense with really good players on all three levels,” Berry said. “And Jared, he is an outstanding — he is one of the best players in the league. And so we’re excited to have him as part of our team.”
Verse, a two-time Pro Bowler and the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024, was a first-round pick out of Florida State just two years ago (No. 19 overall). He has tallied 45 QB hits, 22 tackles for loss and 12 sacks across his first two professional campaigns and will play the upcoming year at 26.
Browns Appear to Have Longterm Plan Behind Myles Garrett Trade for Jared Verse
GettyDefensive end Myles Garrett of the Los Angeles Rams.
As good as Verse is already, he remains a far cry from Garrett in terms of his impact. Pro Football Focus ranked Garrett the No. 1 edge defender last season, while Verse was 11th.
So while the Browns may not be tanking after dealing Garrett for one of the best available replacements at his position plus three draft picks, there is no arguing that Cleveland’s defense will take a step back without him.
Berry is right to lean on the talent he has accumulated on the defensive side of the football over the past two drafts. Adding Verse and meaningful draft capital also makes the current roster cheaper, and cuts off a lot of money meant for Garrett in the years to come.
Verse has two years remaining on his $15.1 million rookie contract, as well as a fifth-year club option in 2028, which means he is cost-controlled for at least three seasons. Meanwhile, Garrett will only just be starting the first year of a four-year extension worth $160 million in 2027.
The ability to rush the quarterback is a skill that has proven to age well in the league, so Garrett is probably going to remain elite for another couple of seasons with a slow and gradual decline after that. Meanwhile though, Verse should continue to improve (assuming health) and play at a much lower cost.
There is also the extra first-rounder in 2027 that Cleveland just acquired along with Verse to consider, particularly in the context of the Browns’ desperate need for a franchise quarterback, which they are likely to pursue at the top of Round 1 next April. Thus, being a little worse in 2026 and adding an extra pick in 2027 isn’t an altogether nonsensical move.
Browns’ Myles Garrett Trade Opens Door to Reunion With 3-Time Pro Bowler