What happened: Cleveland Browns defensive end Jared Verse said Thursday that he recently met with the team's psychiatrist to work past a sack drought. Verse, who opened the season with no sacks through three games, explained that his struggles stemmed from a mental block. 'I think it was definitely a mental block,' Verse said.
Why it matters: Cleveland sits at 5-4 and holds the eighth seed in the AFC following a 23-22 loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Browns stood pat at the trade deadline, leaving the defense reliant on its existing front to generate pressure for the second-half playoff push.
By the numbers: Verse has recorded 20 tackles in 2026 through nine games. Cleveland enters the second half of the season at 5-4 and eighth in the AFC.
What to watch: Cleveland will look for Verse and the defensive front to convert the adjustments into sacks as the Browns pursue an AFC playoff berth.