Darren Hails explores a hypothetical trade idea for the Vikings after Jared Verse’s first week in Cleveland. Meanwhile, Minnesota is still looking for solutions at pass rush since Jonathan Greenard left.
First, just to be clear, this isn’t based on any rumor I’ve heard. I haven’t seen any reports about the Vikings calling the Browns, or Cleveland being open to it. There’s nothing to suggest Jared Verse wants out after just arriving, either.
This is just an opinion piece, a bit of a thought experiment. It’s the kind of roster question that pops up when two things happen at once, and if you’re a Vikings fan, you can’t help but connect the dots, even if someone sensible is telling you to relax.
On 1 June 2026, the Browns shocked the NFL world and traded Myles Garrett to the Rams. In return, they got Jared Verse plus a bunch of draft picks. Verse isn’t just any young pass rusher but the 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year and a two-time Pro Bowler. The Browns’ general manager, Andrew Berry, called him the key to the deal, and Cleveland’s news coverage made it clear: Verse was the main piece, not just an add-on.
Meanwhile, the Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard to the Eagles. No matter what you think about the salary cap reasons, the football problem is still there. Greenard wasn’t just another name – he was the main source of pressure, the player offenses focused on. He was the experienced edge rusher in Brian Flores’ defense, and now Dallas Turner has to step up from promising to reliable.
So, yes, when Verse walked into Cleveland and sounded less than delighted about the whole thing, the little Vikings part of my brain immediately went: should Minnesota at least ask?
Verse didn’t sound disrespectful, just human
To be fair, Verse didn’t bash Cleveland in his first press conference. He didn’t say he wouldn’t play for the Browns. He just said the trade surprised him, that he loved Los Angeles and that being traded was “upsetting at first”. He also said he was glad the Browns believed in him and that he was ready to work. That’s not someone causing drama on day one.
But he was honest – maybe more honest than usual in today’s NFL, where players are expected to treat a sudden cross-country move as just another character-building experience. Honestly, if you’re a young defensive star on a contender in Los Angeles and suddenly get traded for Myles Garrett, it’s normal to need a moment to process it.
What interested me was not that he sounded angry – he didn’t – it was that he sounded like a player who hadn’t chosen this. And when you’re a team like the Vikings, sitting there with a real need at edge and a new general manager who has to decide how aggressive he wants to be, that’s at least worth noticing.
I’m not reporting or predicting anything, and I’m not tracking flights. I’m just noticing.
The Vikings have created the need
Minnesota’s defensive front is in a strange place. Not bad, necessarily. Just strange.
The interior line is younger and more interesting now. Caleb Banks gives Flores a big, aggressive tackle with real potential and Domonique Orange seems like a natural nose tackle, the kind of player who handles the tough jobs in the middle so the rest of the defense can shine. Jalen Redmond also isn’t just a depth piece anymore; he’s become a real factor.
But I’m still nervous about the edge position.
Dallas Turner is the big gamble for the Vikings. Andrew Van Ginkel is a great, versatile player who can rush, drop back, disrupt screens and move around, making life tough for offensive coordinators. But after those two, the Vikings are relying on development, potential and Flores’ creativity to generate pressure. Bo Richter, Tyler Batty, Chaz Chambliss, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Jake Golday are all options in certain situations, but there isn’t a proven third rusher you can count on yet.
That’s what makes Verse tempting. He’s not a late-career veteran nor a “maybe he can give you a few snaps” signing. He’s a young, high-level edge rusher already making an impact in the NFL.
The Vikings’ write-up on the Greenard trade pointed out that Greenard and Verse both led the NFL with 84 pressures in 2024, according to PFF. It’s almost ironic – the player Minnesota lost and the one we’re discussing were already side by side in pressure stats two seasons ago.
Cleveland’s first-day article on Verse said he had 80 pressures and 52 hurries in 2025, ranking sixth among edge defenders by PFF. So this isn’t just a big name tossed into a random trade idea – Verse is the kind of player who can really change a defense.
The fit is almost too easy to see
Verse said in Cleveland that he likes to play in an aggressive, attacking front. That’s his style – he wants to get upfield, set the mood and attack, instead of slowing down to read too much.
That should get every Vikings fan’s attention, because it sounds like the kind of player Brian Flores likes. Flores doesn’t want just one type of defender – his defense is all about roles, movement, pressure and confusing quarterbacks. But for the main edge spot, you still need someone who can win on their own and force offenses to adjust.
That was Greenard’s role. The Vikings hope Turner can become that player, but Verse already looks like he fits the bill.
And just to be clear, trading for Verse wouldn’t mean giving up on Turner. I don’t see it that way. If anything, it could help Turner develop without putting all the pressure on him right away.
Picture Verse as the main attacking edge, with Turner on the other side, still rushing, still developing and still a threat. Then Van Ginkel could move between roles, allowing Flores to use his skills while not overloading him. Then you have Banks and Redmond attacking inside, Orange would handle the tough jobs and Metellus would continue to move around like the Swiss Army knife we’ve grown to love and admire. All of a sudden, the defense looks like a real threat instead of a coach attempting to solve a depth problem with limited tools.
I know that last bit makes it sound like I’ve already put Verse in a Vikings jersey. I haven’t – I’m just saying it’s easy to see how well he would fit.
Cleveland would probably laugh first
Now comes the tough part: reality.
Why would the Browns do this?
Cleveland just traded away the face of their franchise. Garrett wasn’t just a useful veteran with a tough contract – he was Myles Garrett, the heart of the Browns’ defense. If you make that kind of trade, you need a return that gives hope for the future, and Verse is that player for them.
Berry said the Garrett trade needed three things: short- and long-lasting benefits, top draft picks, and a young, affordable star at a key position. That’s Verse. If the Browns traded him right away, what would they tell their fans? “We traded Myles Garrett for picks and a player we immediately flipped for more picks.” That’s a tough sell.
Verse is still on his rookie deal, with team control and a fifth-year option as a first-round pick. A player at a premium position with high production, low cost and age on his side is like gold dust in the NFL. Teams rarely give that up unless something is really wrong or the offer is massive.
If the Vikings were to call, then the offer couldn’t be a simple “send the leftover Greenard value and see what happens” deal. The 2026 third-rounder from Greenard is already part of Minnesota’s draft plans, and a 2027 pick alone won’t get Jared Verse. Cleveland saw Verse as a key part of the Garrett trade. If the Vikings wanted to change their mind, it would most likely cost at least a first-round pick, maybe more, even before considering if the Browns would admit things started off badly.
So, no, I don’t think this is likely.
But I do think it’s worth making the call.
The Teasley angle
This is where Nolan Teasley comes in.
Teasley is the new general manager. Mark Wilf has said Teasley has the final say on the 53-man roster. The public statements are all regarding collaboration, evaluation, data and coaching vision – all the usual meeting-room talk. It’s important, but it’s also just words until decisions are made.
But at some point, the general manager has to make a move that shows how he views the roster.
Should Teasley wait? There’s a good argument for that. Let Turner get his chance. Let Van Ginkel play his part. Let Banks and Orange settle in. See if Ingram-Dawkins, Richter, Batty, Chambliss or Golday can step up during camp. Save cap space for Harrison Smith, a cornerback, a possible in-season trade or flexibility in 2027.
That’s the sensible approach. It may even be the correct one.
The bolder move would be to look at the pass rush and decide that, since the Vikings already made one aggressive decision by trading Greenard, they shouldn’t hesitate to make another if a rare player becomes available.
Verse isn’t a normal opportunity because if he were a free agent, half the league would be interested right away. A rebuilding team shopping him in August would cause every contender needing edge help to call. The only reason this even seems possible is because he was just traded somewhere he didn’t choose, and his first comments showed he’s still processing it.
It’s a long shot, I know that, but teams find value by noticing these small chances before they become obvious to everyone.
The cost has to match the plan
The Vikings shouldn’t do this in a panic.
If the thinking is just, “Greenard is gone, let’s grab a flashy replacement”, then back off. A team shouldn’t trade away top picks just because its fans are anxious in June. That’s how teams end up treating future drafts carelessly.
But if the thinking is more disciplined – Verse is 25, he is already producing like a top-pressure player, he fits the defensive identity, and he would change the Vikings’ 2026 and 2027 ceiling – then it becomes a real front-office discussion.
The issue of a second contract down the road can’t be ignored. Part of the Greenard debate was about future value, guarantees and how to assign resources. Trading for Verse wouldn’t let Minnesota avoid those questions long-term, it would just give them a younger, higher-upside version of the same challenge, which is the kind of problem good teams are willing to take on.
The Vikings can’t keep saying they’re in win-now mode, praising the coaching staff and talking about building a deep roster for the playoffs, but then ignore elite, young talent at a position where they’re thin. Asking about a player doesn’t mean overpaying; it just means knowing the market.
My view
If I’m the Vikings, I would make the call.
I expect Cleveland to say no, and probably quickly, maybe even with a laugh before the official response. Verse was too important in the Garrett trade, too valuable on his contract and too central to the Browns’ new defensive plans.
But I’d still make the call because the Vikings’ edge situation is exactly where a team should stay alert. Turner might become the answer; I hope he does. Van Ginkel might stay healthy and play great. Flores might get enough pressure from the young group to make this whole conversation unnecessary. There’s a real chance that in 2026, the Vikings won’t need to chase anyone.
But there’s also a scenario where the defense is OK but not quite aggressive enough at the edge position. Maybe Turner is improving but isn’t the main threat yet, and maybe Van Ginkel has to do too much. Maybe the interior rookies show promise, but the outside rush still needs a proven force.
Verse wouldn’t just be a temporary fix; he’d be a statement.
So, Vikings, go ahead, ask the Browns. Be civil and realistic, and don’t pretend it’s likely. Certainly don’t leak it like it’s NFL gossip. Just quietly ask.
Sometimes when you ask about a possible trade, the answer is no, and that’s fine. But if a 25-year-old edge rusher who matched your old star’s production seems even a little unsettled, and you’re trying to move on after Greenard, I’d rather hear “no” than wonder in November/December what could have been.