Former NFL veteran Terron Armstead put his two cents in on the Cleveland Browns‘ acquisition of Jared Verse from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Myles Garrett.
Armstead said the same thing to start as everyone else has. He mentioned how both teams came out positive from the trade, but that he would tip the scales in the Rams‘ direction. Sure, that’s all fine and good. However, what he said next was the most important.
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Armstead sang praises about Verse but said that the trade will only be successful Verse will be special “if and when” he adds these tools to his bag: hands, reaction, and ability to set up moves for later in the game.
If he is able to add these elements to his game, “Cleveland will feel great about what they have for now and into the future.” He finished by saying that Verse has some work to do; he isn’t a finished product, but he has a lot of room to get better.
This is a very astute evaluation of what Verse brings to the table. When you watch Verse rush the passer, he looks like a second-year player. His technique isn’t polished, but his natural skill and ability jump off the screen.
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The one thing that is very apparent is his physicality. It doesn’t matter if he is facing Trent Williams or a fourth-string tackle; he is going to try to go through their chest and win with power. Some of his best plays are because of that natural strength, but that only goes so far.
He already possesses the attributes that are needed to be an NFL pass rusher; he just needs to continue to hone his skills, and then he will become a totally dominant rusher.
As it stands right now, the Rams may have a slight advantage in the trade, but as time goes on, Verse has the power to tip the scales back in favor of the Browns. It won’t happen overnight, and the expectation isn’t for him to be as good as Myles Garrett. If he can be the best version of Jared Verse, then Cleveland is going to feel really good about this deal for a very long time.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Former NFL star spells out how Browns’ Jared Verse will find success