Jared Verse and his Cleveland Browns have their biggest game in years when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, looking to end a 22-game losing streak against their AFC North rivals. Verse hasn’t suffered any of those losses, so he probably doesn’t feel the pressure that some of his teammates do, and he’s spent the week making sure everyone knows it.
Verse started the week missing practice with some knee inflammation, but he doesn’t appear to be in danger of missing Sunday’s huge game. It would be the perfect setting for Verse to get his breakout performance and first few sacks in a Browns uniform.
If he wants to sign the projected extension MLFootball shared Friday, he’ll have to carry it in the sack department. MLFootball projected that Verse will receive a four-year, $160 million contract this offseason when he first becomes eligible.
“PROJECTION: #Browns star pass rusher Jared Verse is expected to sign a 4-year, $160 MILLION contract extension when eligible this offseason. That would average $40 MILL/year. Verse will become one of the highest paid pass rushers in #NFL history,” Mlfotball said.
PROJECTION: #Browns star pass rusher Jared Verse is projected to sign a 4-year, $160 MILLION contract extension when eligible this season.
That would be worth an average of $40 MILLION annually.
Verse would become one of the highest paid passes in #NFL history. pic.twitter.com/TyBf1jAHnM
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 30, 2026
Verse has been a leader since the day he entered the facility, and while he doesn’t have the sack yet, Myles Garrett has done a great job filling an incredibly large pair of shoes since he left. No one expects him to single-handedly replace Garrett, but his teammates are helping make that transition easier for him by getting behind the lone quarterback.
As long as Verse stays healthy and struggles, the sacks will come and that contract will be waiting for him. He is one of the most exciting young pass rushers in the NFL, and Browns fans should have no doubt that such a deal would be a good investment.
However, all of that is a conversation for another day and the most important thing right now is beating Pittsburgh. This suffering has gone on long enough, and maybe Verse can be a lucky charm and start his Browns tenure 1-0 in Pittsburgh.
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The Browns Have A Chance To Change The Narrative About Them On Sunday