Jared Verse isn't aiming to fill shoes left by Myles Garrett after trade to Browns: 'My job is to be the best me'

Jared Verse beamed a radiant smile at several points of his Cleveland Browns introductory news conference on Wednesday .

“I'm used to hard situations,” the 25-year-old defensive end told reporters.

After making the Pro Bowl in each of his first two NFL seasons, a pro career that began with him being selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the 2024 draft and winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year took a hard turn this week. On Monday, the Rams, Super Bowl favorites, dealt Verse to a Browns organization that’s made the playoffs only three times this century.

Verse was the crown jewel of a trade package Cleveland received in exchange for two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett . Born in Dayton, Verse is suddenly back in Ohio.

"Yeah, it caught me by surprise,” Verse said of the blockbuster transaction.

“I loved LA. I loved the coaches, the organization, my teammates, everybody a part of it, the staff, the fans — I loved the whole vibe of L.A., the Los Angeles Rams, and 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. 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 [to] be with my teammates, [to] be with everybody here.”

Verse later added: “You got two choices: You can either work, or you can give up. And I ain't never been a quitter."