Browns' Barkevious Mingo will 'have to earn' playing time in 2015
Barkevious Mingo's brief NFL career hasn't gone the way he envisioned.
The sixth overall pick in 2013 has managed just seven sacks in two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, and now finds himself fighting for playing time.
Browns defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil didn't mince words Thursday about Mingo's prospects for 2015.
"No one is guaranteed anything on the defense," O'Neil told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "Joe Haden knows that, Donte Whitner knows that and Karlos Dansby knows that. You're going to have to earn playing time. We're deep in every position group. Mingo is going to have to come back ready to go, and he's going to have to earn it."
O'Neil added that, as of now, Mingo is relegated to sub-packages.
"When we came out of training camp last year, we thought Mingo was one of our best outside 'backers,'' O'Neil said. "We all know about the (shoulder) injury he suffered in play two of the season. He is going to have to compete for playing time on early downs. He's going to have a role in our sub-packages."
Mingo suffered through a torn labrum last season, limiting him to just a pair of sacks. O'Neil would like to see more of the pass-rushing ability Mingo showed at LSU, when he tallied 29.5 sacks in three seasons.
"Right now, he's by far our best outside linebacker in coverage,'' said O'Neil. "Now, we're going to see where he is when we get back to training camp and the pads come on of how he is at outside 'backer setting the edge, how he is as a defensive end rushing the quarterback and that kind of stuff. We were very optimistic about Mingo coming out of training camp last year.''
Despite Mingo being a high draft pick, O'Neil made it clear that with the team's added depth, playing time is far from a guarantee.
"We've improved the depth, we've improved the competition in that room with a Scott Solomon, a Nate Orchard, like we have in every room,'' said O'Neil. "Guys are going to have to earn it. We don't care where you were drafted, when you were drafted, how much you're getting paid; the best 11 guys and the guys who earn their roles are the guys who are going to play."