Jared Verse Shares Thoughts on the Cleveland Browns Quarterback Battle

The newest Cleveland Browns defender had some comments on both hopeful starters.

Cleveland Browns Jared Verse talks to the media after taking part in OTAs at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus of the Cleveland Browns in Berea, Ohio on June 2, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Training camp is right around the corner for the NFL, and the storylines around the league revolve around free agency and some big trades over the offseason. The most shocking trade was Cleveland sending away Myles Garrett to Los Angeles in return for a package that was headlined by edge rusher Jared Verse.

Verse has now been with Cleveland for about a month and a half and has had a front-row seat to one of the more interesting quarterback battles across the league. Currently in Cleveland, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are both competing to be the Browns' QB1.

Verse commented on the battle earlier on Wednesday in an interview with Good Morning Football.

Verse’s Thoughts

When talking about Watson, Verse said that he is a great quarterback who brings that veteran presence of someone who has played for a good bit of time. For Sanders, Verse detailed that his confidence is unparalleled and that he makes plays that others do not even see coming.

To wrap up his views, Verse praised both players, saying, "These are two great quarterbacks; so far I've just seen two elite quarterbacks battling it out."

As a newcomer, Verse has limited experience witnessing both players, but he seems to already understand some of the main characteristics of each guy. As far as whether his comments could point toward either one having an edge, that is still a long shot.

Todd Monken has also maintained that the competition is far from over, as there is still lots of time between now and Week 1 of the season. The battle between the second-year pro Sanders and the veteran Watson is the main topic on every Browns fan's mind. 

Whoever it is starting for Cleveland, they will for sure be toughened up by the hard-nosed starting defense led by Verse. The defense will also be manned by reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Carsen Schwesinger in the middle; returning with him is five-time Pro-Bowler Denzel Ward in the secondary and many more players.

The defense hopes to maintain the same level of play that has made them the heart of the team in the past couple of years. 

Watson and Sanders will have their work cut out for them each and every day of training camp and practice when they face a defense that has been in the top five of yards allowed per game twice in the past three years.