April struggles and April sweeps, While We’re Waiting…
May 3, 2016Discussing the Browns’ 2016 Draft Class: WFNY Roundtable
May 3, 2016When the Cleveland Browns selected defensive end Barkevious Mingo with the sixth-overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, he was expected to be an immediate impact player on the Browns defense. Out of LSU, Mingo was lean, quick, and tenacious and offered an element of pass-rushing that the Browns desperately needed. Unfortunately, Mingo’s career hasn’t panned out the way either he or the team desired, leading to the Browns declining the fifth-year option on his rookie contract that would have been worth $11.925 million.
While battling through injuries, the 25-year-old compiled just 102 tackles (68 solo), seven sacks, 11 passes defended, and one interception in his in 46 games (16 starts) over three seasons. So, after a bright start recording a sack in each of his first three NFL games, the star has dimmed.
The 25-year-old, however, still has a year to prove himself worthy of a second contract from the Browns before he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2016 season. This off-season, Mingo has taken advantage of the offseason training to add more bulk to his frame.
Here’s Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot:
“This whole offseason, my main focus was getting bigger, faster, stronger,” Mingo said at the start of the offseason program last month. “I put on a lot of weight, and I’m comfortable where I am. I achieved my goals and am excited to get to work with the guys that we brought back and the guys we’ve brought in.”
Why didn’t Mingo add this bulk in previous offseasons? According to his agent, Rick Roberts, previous regimes were not interested in Mingo adding any weight, for reasons that were not disclosed. Over the past few seasons, Mingo has been primarily used as the team’s coverage linebacker while continuing to struggle rushing the opposing passer. Last season, he started just two games and had a bigger role on special teams.
It is possible that being in a contract year will wake Mingo’s dormant pass rush abilities because, under the third new regime of Mingo’s career, he has plenty to prove heading into what could be his final season with the Browns. The return of Ray Horton could certainly help.
18 Comments
Abject lack of football IQ > Lack of prototypical NFL size
When I noted this to a few guys at work yesterday, they were stunned. I was like, “Really? Because he’s been awful the entire time.”
More power to him if he isn’t awful this year, but I’ve given up on him. Which is important, because he really cares about what I think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOFn8dWc1_g
Jeez, I’m really sick of brain-dead system coaches who refuse to tailor their schemes to the abilities of the players who are actually available to them. And I’m really really sick of constantly complaining about it.
It’s okay he’ll be amazing for the Patriots in two seasons…
Well he can at least let himself go now and gain a bunch of weight.
I agree with you generally, but like…what if Mingo just sucks? Do you tailor your system to suck?
Not surprising as 12 million is way above the production. A couple of things to note Horton was in DC in 2013 when he was drafted and recorded 5 sacks, 42 tackles before he was injured in the Detroit game. He was never a high production sack guy in college. His junior (final year) of college he had 4.5 sacks, 38 tackles.. So his production his first year in the pros was a little better than college.
The pick at the time was a little overrated. I think his rookie numbers is closer to who he is. He was projected for more but that’s just it. He is fine in a rotation. I think Horton will get his numbers back to the rookie / college production unless his off season training that we keep hearing about changes him dramatically. I personally don’t believe in body building style of off season work and at his position martial arts like jujitsu is time better spent. Regardless, he will look good getting off the bus.
Hue is in the house, baby. It’s now or never.
right, hard to tailor a system to a lineman who’s too frail to stop the run and whose only pass-rush move – speed to the outside – was duly noted and adjusted to by opponents in the third game of his rookie year. Suppose you can give up and try to teach him a whole new position like Terrelle Pryor but it’s always hard for the org that wasted a high pick to do or the highly drafted player to accept.
I thought it was the Broncos turn?
Of course they declined him.
And they’ll decline Mini-Mingo, too. And by Mini-Mingo, I mean Nate Orchard.
When you said “lineman,” I thought you were talking about Erving. And then when you said “his only pass-rush move,” I thought you were going to complete the sentence by saying, “is falling on his butt when someone pushes on him hard enough.”
Mingo makes me think of Mingus Dew.
https://media.giphy.com/media/WZTo0aGO2DRBe/giphy.gif
Ah, yes…. the Sandoval.
Nearly $12M a year seems like a lot for all but a handful of guys on defense. Is the 5th option year calculated in a way to make it so teams can’t afford players to allow them to hit free agency earlier?
I was the first to call Mingo a bust when he was drafted. He did nothing in college. Even tho I know nothing about Orchard coming out of college, it looks like he will be following in Mingo’s footsteps.
6-4, 230-240…4.58 40yd…
Teach him to play TE!
Boom! Moneyball!
https://media.giphy.com/media/xyfbYqj7OyFuE/giphy.gif