The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2026 preseason with a notably different look on the defensive line. Myles Garrett is no longer part of the group after being sent to the Los Angeles Rams in a trade that brought Jared Verse to Cleveland.
Verse is expected to take on a larger role this season alongside Isaiah McGuire and Alex Wright, and the numbers suggest he's ready for it. He finished 2025 with 58 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one pass deflection, and has earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first two seasons.
Cleveland still has depth beyond Verse, with Logan Fano, Julian Okwara, Tyreak Sapp, Khordae Sydnor and Benton Whitley also in the room.
But the larger question is whether new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg can generate enough pressure through scheme alone without Garrett anchoring the group, and it's fair to wonder whether the Browns could use one more experienced voice in that room.
On Thursday, Ian Rapoport reported that free-agent pass rusher Za'Darius Smith worked out for the Browns, months after he came out of retirement. Smith is now officially back on the open market.
The Philadelphia Eagles removed the 33-year-old from the reserve/retired list Wednesday, according to the NFL's daily transaction report, making him a free agent once again and clearing the way for him to sign with any team if he decides to keep playing.
Smith stepped away from the game unexpectedly last October, just months into a one-year contract he signed with Philadelphia ahead of the 2025 season. He appeared in five games for the Eagles, recording 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks before retiring.
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There's been no word yet on whether he's set on making a full comeback. Before stepping away, Smith built a 145-game career across six teams.
He totaled 321 tackles, 70.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles while playing for Baltimore, Green Bay, Minnesota, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, and his ability to consistently get after quarterbacks earned him three Pro Bowl selections and one All-Pro nod.
