BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns defensive end Jared Verse said Thursday that he recently met with the team's psychiatrist to get past his slump of not registering sacks.
Verse, the 2024 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and a two-time Pro Bowler with the Rams, was traded to the Browns in the blockbuster deal that sent two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to Los Angeles. In his first nine games in Cleveland, Verse has not registered a sack. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he is one of three players in the NFL who have at least 200 pass rush snaps this season but have not recorded a sack.
Verse, though, said his on-field issues are mental, not physical.
"I think it was definitely a mental block," Verse said. "I train my body every day to push myself to the limits of what I'm physically capable of doing. So I don't think it was any issue with my body, but I think I've taken the steps to figure out what it was after meeting with a couple people and everything like that."
In Verse's first two seasons, his 99 pressures only trailed Micah Parsons and Garrett. However, his pressure numbers and win rates this season have also declined from his career averages. His pressure rate (3.4%) ranks 180th out of 199 qualifying players and his edge pass rush win rate (11.2%) ranks 55th out of 56 qualifying players, according to ESPN Analytics and NFL Next Gen Stats.
"I haven't played well at all this season," Verse said. "I think I've taken a little bit of time looking at me at what I could do better because I think [the defensive line] goes how I go. That's my mindset in anything I do."
Last week, Browns coach Todd Monken said he wasn't concerned about Verse's play.
"I think it's too early to say anything," Monken said. "I love the way Jared works every day since he's come here, just like all of our guys, he loves to work. He likes being on the field and practicing. And I think it's a matter of adapting to our style, which is -- there are some things that aren't as similar to what he was used to doing with the Rams and the attack style. And I think it's just a matter of time before he really gets comfortable in what we're doing defensively.
"And it's unfair to compare him to Myles Garrett. I think that's always been unfair. Myles is in an elite category of his own. That's OK. I mean, that's who he is. But we just need Jared to be the best version of Jared, and I think we're going to continue to see growth there. And again, what will help us? Be ahead in games, force the other team to throw it, and I think you'll start to see his sacks start to pile up."