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Earlier this month, Cleveland Browns’ fans were shocked to find out that the struggling organization would be trading its star player, Myles Garrett, after multiple claims from the front office that he would be with the team for his entire career.
The league-altering deal that occurred on Jun 1 saw Garrett being moved to the Los Angeles Rams, with the Browns receiving picks and a blossoming pass rusher in Jared Verse. But despite Cleveland losing a core piece of the defense this offseason, the optimism surrounding the unit remains high heading into the 2026 season.
When asked about how the trade could affect the defense, Browns’ defensive lines coach Jacques Cesaire told reporters on Thursday that there has been no “letdown” following the Garrett trade.
“[We have] great pieces in Jared [Verse], Alex Wright, Isaiah [McGuire], Mason [Graham], Maliek Collins, so I don’t see anything like that,” Cesaire stated when asked about any letdown without Garrett. “The guys have been working extremely hard, and I can’t wait for training camp to start.”
The Browns’ defense, over the past few seasons, has quickly become one of the best units across the entire NFL. In 2025, Cleveland ranked fourth in total yards allowed per game (283.6), while ranking third in passing yards allowed per game (167.2) and team sacks (53).
However, one of the main catalysts for the recent success on defense was Garrett, who ended up breaking the single-season sack record in 2025. Since his arrival to the organization back in 2017, the 30-year-old pass rusher has accumulated 125.5 sacks and 23 forced fumbles, making him one of the best defenders in the league. Still, Cesaire and the rest of the Browns’ defense continue to believe that the unit will be able to maintain its high level of play despite the departure of Garrett this offseason.
In addition to his comments about the defense without Garrett, Cesaire also gave Verse even higher praise, stating that he has “done a great job as a leader” throughout minicamp.
“Jared has done a good job of just learning the playbook,” Cesaire claimed. “He’s just very intelligent, and he’s picked up everything we’ve asked him to learn. Obviously, the technique is a little bit different for him, so we are still working through that, but he’s done a great job as a leader and learning the playbook.”
Verse, as the former 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year, was a key piece to finally complete the massive trade, according to general manager Andrew Berry. The 25-year-old EDGE recorded 12 sacks in his first two seasons with the Rams, while also having the third-most pressures in the NFL since 2024, trailing behind Garrett and Green Bay Packers’ star Micah Parsons.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns' DL coach remains excited for defense without Myles Garrett
Continue reading...
The league-altering deal that occurred on Jun 1 saw Garrett being moved to the Los Angeles Rams, with the Browns receiving picks and a blossoming pass rusher in Jared Verse. But despite Cleveland losing a core piece of the defense this offseason, the optimism surrounding the unit remains high heading into the 2026 season.
When asked about how the trade could affect the defense, Browns’ defensive lines coach Jacques Cesaire told reporters on Thursday that there has been no “letdown” following the Garrett trade.
“[We have] great pieces in Jared [Verse], Alex Wright, Isaiah [McGuire], Mason [Graham], Maliek Collins, so I don’t see anything like that,” Cesaire stated when asked about any letdown without Garrett. “The guys have been working extremely hard, and I can’t wait for training camp to start.”
The Browns’ defense without Myles Garrett
The Browns’ defense, over the past few seasons, has quickly become one of the best units across the entire NFL. In 2025, Cleveland ranked fourth in total yards allowed per game (283.6), while ranking third in passing yards allowed per game (167.2) and team sacks (53).
However, one of the main catalysts for the recent success on defense was Garrett, who ended up breaking the single-season sack record in 2025. Since his arrival to the organization back in 2017, the 30-year-old pass rusher has accumulated 125.5 sacks and 23 forced fumbles, making him one of the best defenders in the league. Still, Cesaire and the rest of the Browns’ defense continue to believe that the unit will be able to maintain its high level of play despite the departure of Garrett this offseason.
In addition to his comments about the defense without Garrett, Cesaire also gave Verse even higher praise, stating that he has “done a great job as a leader” throughout minicamp.
“Jared has done a good job of just learning the playbook,” Cesaire claimed. “He’s just very intelligent, and he’s picked up everything we’ve asked him to learn. Obviously, the technique is a little bit different for him, so we are still working through that, but he’s done a great job as a leader and learning the playbook.”
Verse, as the former 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year, was a key piece to finally complete the massive trade, according to general manager Andrew Berry. The 25-year-old EDGE recorded 12 sacks in his first two seasons with the Rams, while also having the third-most pressures in the NFL since 2024, trailing behind Garrett and Green Bay Packers’ star Micah Parsons.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns' DL coach remains excited for defense without Myles Garrett
Continue reading...
