Browns Star Sits Out Practice as Injury Concerns Raised

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Browns DC sends Jared Verse a clear message.

It’s precautionary, but for the Cleveland Browns, having a player not practicing here just days before a critical showdown against the Steelers in the AFC North is cause for some concern. And that player is Jared Verse who, though he is still without a sack this season, is still a critical piece in the Browns’ hopes to contain and attack veteran Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Verse is not expected to miss the big Week 8 game on Sunday, but his knee is giving him trouble and he sat out on Wednesday.

Asked about Verse’s knee by reporters in Berea on Wednesday, coach Todd Monken shrugged off the severity of the problem.

Ask if Verse might sit out, Monken said, “I don’t anticipate that. Just a little bit of swelling, and we just thought it’d be good to just keep him off of it.”

Originally, the Browns listed four active players who were not practicing on Wednesday: CB Myles Harden (hamstring), RT Tytus Howard (concussion), C Elgton Jenkins (knee) and DE Jared Verse (knee).

Browns CB Myles Harden was actually on the practice field today.So was DT Mike Hall, who was practicing for the first time since injuring his ankle against the Steelers in Week 4. https://t.co/bBDEqxiOnk— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) October 28, 2026

But Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN posted an update once practice got rolling, adding, “Browns CB Myles Harden was actually on the practice field today.So was DT Mike Hall, who was practicing for the first time since injuring his ankle against the Steelers in Week 4.

Jared Verse Raised the Stakes for Browns-Steelers Showdown

Certainly, the expectation is that Verse would be on the field for the Steelers game, given the fact that he raised some eyebrows in suggesting the team played dirty during the Browns’ Week 4 win in Cleveland. It would be a good time for the Browns edge rusher to get himself going–not only is he without a sack this season, but he has only four pressures this year.

Said Verse at the time: “They were talking crazy. I was telling them, ‘You’re double-teaming, y’all sliding, y’all garbage.’ I was talking crazy to them. I don’t have any respect for anybody that plays too dirty and does too much extra (expletive) after the game, excuse my French. So, I can’t wait to see them again. It’s going to be a good time when I see them again.”