The Browns declined to exercise the fifth-year option on outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo’s rookie contract by Monday’s deadline, so he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March, a source familiar with the situation confirmed.
The Browns also announced they terminated the contract of outside linebacker Scott Solomon.
The team’s choice regarding Mingo came as no surprise because he has yet to live up to the expectations placed upon him as the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. His fifth-year salary would’ve been $11.925 million based on a formula for linebackers picked in the top 10.
Mingo, 25, has compiled only seven sacks in his three NFL seasons, just two since his rookie year and none in 2015.
The previous coaching staff used him more as a coverage linebacker than a pass rusher the past two seasons and drastically cut his playing time in 2015, when his name surfaced in trade talks.
The Browns have used second-round selections on Mingo’s position in consecutive years, picking Nate Orchard in 2015 and Emmanuel Ogbah last week.
They also chose Joe Schobert in the fourth round this past weekend and believe he can play outside or inside linebacker.
In other words, a path has been paved for Mingo’s departure following the upcoming season.
The 6-foot-4 Mingo has been hindered by injuries to begin each of his first three seasons (bruised lung in 2013, torn labrum in 2014 and torn meniscus in 2015).
He also has struggled to handle blockers at the point of attack while playing at an unusually light weight for his position.
So Mingo spent five weeks this offseason living with a former female body builder, training and consuming about 6,000 calories a day to bulk up to about 251 pounds, one of his agents, Rick Roberts, told Cleveland.com last month. He weighed just 227 pounds when last season ended.
“This whole offseason, my main focus was getting bigger — bigger, faster, stronger,” Mingo, whose chest and arms appear thicker, said last month. “... So I achieved my goals.
“I put on a lot of weight, and I’m comfortable where I am.”
Perhaps the change will help Mingo break out in what could be his last season with the Browns.
As for Solomon, the previous coaching staff had high hopes for him and inserted him into the starting lineup to begin the 2015 season.
But he suffered an ankle injury during the defense’s first series in Week 1, then returned for Week 5, only to suffer a knee injury. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Oct. 14.
The Browns signed Solomon, 27, to their practice squad in November 2014. He appeared in the final two games that season, compiling seven tackles, including one sack, and a forced fumble.
The 6-3, 260-pound Solomon was set to make $1.671 million in the 2016 season after signing the qualifying offer last month he received from the Browns as a restricted free agent.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.