Factory Of Sadness
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Donte Whitner, Mike Pettine Play Big Roles In Cleveland Browns Loss To The Oakland Raiders

By Jamyson Frierson

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Sep 20, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs the ball against Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo (51) for a gain of six yards in the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 28-14. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

4. Mingo Has Gotta Go

Barkevious Mingo is just one of a long list of player’s on the Browns roster that have been disappointing. The sixth overall pick in 2013 is easily the most underachieving of that supposed “strong” defensive end class. (Dion Jordan, Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah.) He has been injury-prone since he came to the NFL and has produced little on the field. He refuses to gain weight or muscle mass, and has yet to develop any kind of pass-rushing technique that is successful. The bull-rush will quickly get you pancaked to the ground if that is your only move.

He was beaten out by Scott Solomon in training camp, but Solomon is still out for five more weeks due to an ankle injury he suffered in week one.  So with that, Mingo would split reps at strong-side linebacker with Armonty Bryant.

He has not impressed at all and compiled four total tackles against Oakland, but that’s where it ended. His first blunder was in the second quarter when the Raiders were going to punt. He had an illegal block, which negated the play and it was enforced on the down. Three minutes later, he was one of five players to commit the most obvious “roughing the kicker” penalty in NFL history.

The Raiders got the ball back and scored. But that doesn’t even compare to Latavius Murray dragging him six yards into the endzone for the touchdown. Bo Jackson and Brian Bosworth had nothing on that.

Mingo had another atrocious game and it has been the norm for his since 2013. If the Browns want to get any better, they’re going to have to cut ties with mediocrity and start over. Bill Belichik does it all the time. You want to send a message? Make a big-time cut. Releasing a first-round pick who’s failed to produce time and time again would be a good way to start.

It’s time to move on from the Mingo era and see what you have in Nate Orchard and Bryant until Solomon comes back.

Next: Whitner No So Much The Hitner

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