Jared Verse reflected fondly on his two-plus years with the Los Angeles Rams during his introductory press conference with the Cleveland Browns following the ballyhooed trade for Myles Garrett.
However, Verse did not sugarcoat the situation, either.
He joins the Browns motivated, coming off a Defensive Rookie of the Year award and back-to-back Pro Bowls.
Browns’ Jared Verse Does Not Hold Back About Rams Trade
GettyJared Verse spoke candidly about his trade from the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday.
Verse went from being the 19th overall pick of the 2024 draft to being a key piece of the puzzle for a Rams team that was one win away from the Super Bowl in 2025, to now being the newest member of the Browns.
That was a shock to the system for Verse, who did not mince words about how he felt in the immediate aftermath of the deal.
“It caught me by surprise. I was–I loved LA. I love the coaches, the organization, my teammates, everybody a part of it. The staff, the fans. I love the whole vibe of LA, Los Angeles, the Rams, you know, and it uh it was upsetting. I was upset for a good little bit of time. But when you’re an athlete, you understand the nature of business,” Verse told reporters on June 3.
“Everybody does what they think is best for their business. And that’s the situation that I’m in. I’m happy to be a part of the Browns. I’m happy that they believed in me, and they were able to make that trade and bring me here. Be with my teammates, be with everybody here. And I truly do believe in everybody in the locker room, but it was upsetting at first. But you got two choices: that you can either work or you can give up. And I’m–I ain’t never been a quitter.”
Verse was pressed about being “upset” at the trade.
“It’s a different type of feeling,” Verse said. “I’ve always been doubted my whole life. Out of high school, I had the one offer going into college. And leaving college, I was less doubted, but still had the little chip on my shoulder and everything like that. It definitely puts the chip on my shoulder. When I was with the Rams, I was still learning how to play D-end. Still learning how to be a football player, NFL player, and how to play at this next level.
“The Browns got me now, I feel like they’re going to get the best of me. They’re not gonna get a half-finished project or something you gotta work on. This is work here. This is gonna be the best version of me. That’s–everything I’ve done this offseason, it’s gonna be great.”
Jared Verse Makes Bold Claim About Rams
GettyJared Verse is motivated as he joins the Cleveland Browns.
Verse said that teammates Braden Fiske and Byron Young–who took the news particularly hard–spent time with him on Monday, calling them his “best friends.” He also spoke his truth about the Rams before he arrived and the state he leaves them in.
Asked about how his journey has molded him, he spoke about those experiences hardening him into the player that he has become.
His trade from the Rams is just part of that tapestry.
“I’m used to hard situations. I’m used to having to deal with something hard and transfer that to being a better version of myself,” Verse said, adding that he is also “used to being at organizations or teams” that did not win much.
“In college, Albany wasn’t the most winning team and everything like that. When I got to the Rams, they wasn’t the most–they still was getting dubs, but they wasn’t up there like that.”
Verse’s take on the Rams omits that they won a Super Bowl in 2021.
The Rams won 12 games that season, the same as they won this past season with Verse lining up on defense. LA won 10 games the season before they drafted Verse and have had just one losing season and one other without double-digit victories under head coach Sean McVay.
There might not be any hard feelings, but Verse will clearly carry his trade from the Rams with him for the rest of his career.
Jared Verse Gets What He Wants With Browns
GettyJared Verse believes he will get to attack with the Cleveland Browns, which is what he prefers.
Verse is returning to the state in which he was born with the trade from the Rams to the Browns, and he spoke candidly about another shift he hopes to benefit from. That is moving from outside linebacker in a 3-4 base front with the Rams to a defensive end in a 4-3 look with the Browns.
“Now, this is an attacking front, and that’s kind of my style,” Verse said. “I’m very attacking. I want to get to it, I want to have a defined situation. Just be able to do my thing every time without having to think too much. Without having to slow down and read keys. And it is exactly that. I like it a lot.”
The Rams’ defense gets after QBs. So, Verse’s remarks are not necessarily disparaging LA.
The comments still stand out from a player who was quite candid about how the trade made him feel and motivated him to improve.
Browns’ Jared Verse Does Not Mince Words About Rams Trade