Rams Might Not Be Missing Jared Verse as Much as Expected

When the Los Angeles Rams made their biggest move of the offseason by acquiring Myles Garrett, it also meant trading away one of their brightest young stars in Jared Verse. For as excited as the Rams were to acquire Garrett, players on the team were just as disappointed about losing Verse.

“You don’t lose the human element,” said linebacker Nate Landman at the time. “I do love Jared Verse. I've got some shared experience with him. He handled that situation like a grown man, like a business man. He's going to be one hell of a player.”

While Verse left the Rams, there’s no reason to discredit what he did in two years. He was a big part of the defensive turnaround at the end of the 2024 season and was always a high-effort player with big upside. However, by acquiring Garrett, the Rams fast-forwarded the development process and got a more established player that fit their current timeline.

Jared Verse Off to Slow Start Following Rams Trade

The Rams recently placed Myles Garrett on injured reserve after he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Given Verse’s upside that he showed in two years, it’s worth looking at how he’s started the season with the Browns.

Through two weeks and 46 pass-rush snaps, Verse has just a 4.3 percent pressure rate and zero sacks, both of which are career lows. Pro Football Focus has graded Verse as the 45th edge rusher overall out of 57 qualifying players. His 6.3 percent win rate also ranks 63rd out of 77 qualifying players..

It’s only been two games, but it’s certainly been a slow start for Verse. It’s also a much different situation than he was in with the Rams. In Cleveland, Verse is the guy on that defensive line and pass rush. With the Rams, the defense featured other threats such as Kobie Turner, Byron Young, and Braden Fiske.

Jared Verse through 2 games, per @SumerSports:

46 pass rush snaps
2 pressures
4.3% pressure percentage
0 sacks

All career lows. pic.twitter.com/H4PJrLw6zm
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 21, 2026

At this point, it’s far too early to make a one-to-one comparison with Garrett or conclude that neither team is getting what it wanted out of the trade. Garrett could return to the player we are accustomed to seeing when he returns from injured reserve. With that said, in Week 1, Garrett had an 11.1 percent pressure rate while injured, while Verse had a pressure rate of 6.7 percent.

Rams Getting Impressive Production From Josaiah Stewart

Without Verse, the Rams have also gotten good production out of Josaiah Stewart and undrafted free agent Wesley Bailey. That depth is one reason why the Rams could feel comfortable trading away Verse.

Through two games, Stewart has a 16.2 percent pressure rate and a 10.8 percent pass-rush win rate. Both are higher than Verse’s 4.3 percent pressure rate and 4.3 percent pass-rush win-rate.

Jared Verse vs. Josaiah Stewart this season, per @SumerSports:

Verse:
4.3% pressure percentage
4.3% pass-rush win rate
2 pressures

Stewart:
16.2% pressure percentage
10.8% pass-rush win rate
6 pressures

Well!
— Sosa Kremenjas (@QBsMVP) September 23, 2026

That’s not to say that Stewart is better than Verse, but it’s certainly worth pointing out. Without Garrett, the Rams are still getting good production out of Stewart. If the Rams are going to generate pressure on the quarterback, they’re going to need players like Stewart to step up and that’s exactly what’s happened.

Rams Have Another Emerging Pass Rusher in Wesley Bailey

Additionally, it doesn’t hurt when the Rams find potential diamonds in the rough in the draft process. Bailey was an undrafted free agent and had 10 pressures in the second week of the preseason. While it may have been the preseason, the only players since 2023 to do that were Trey Hendrickson, Aidan Hutchinson, Micah Parsons, and Jonathan Cooper.

Wesley Bailey gets his first career sack in primetime. 💪

📺 @ESPNNFL | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/AQQHc3uPrF
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 22, 2026

Bailey recorded his first career sack against the Giants on Monday Night. He may have only played 19 snaps, but it was easy to like what you saw in his limited reps. Bailey also played twice as many snaps as Desjuan Johnson, who is the more experienced player.

Again, this isn’t to say that Stewart or Bailey are better than Verse. It’s not even to imply that Verse is a bad player or won’t work out for the Browns. Given that he’s in the AFC, fans should want the best for Verse on his new team. He certainly has the talent and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get going as the season progresses. At the end of the day, it’s only been two games.

Still, the early production from Stewart and Bailey in Garrett’s absence is encouraging. The Rams traded away one of their most promising young defensive players, but they still have young talent at the position. It’s a testament to the organization’s talent identification and coaching development process. When Garrett does return, having that depth to keep him fresh and slowly work him back into the rotation could be especially important.

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