Despite the misery and perpetual seasons of loss along Lake Erie, one of the long-lasting laughs Clevelanders have been able to muster comes at the expense of the Cincinnati Bengals and their penchant for acquiring players with off-field issues. The list of individuals who traded in their black-and-white stripes for those of the black and orange variety is well documented—last year’s undrafted free agent linebacker Vontaze Burfict is just the most recent. But somewhere along the way, the Cleveland Browns have started to dip their toe in to the ocean of questionable characters. While some have panned out, the last few weeks in Brownstown have undoubtedly been littered with…
When Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski sat up at his makeshift podium following the team’s selection of Barkevious Mingo with the sixth-overall pick in this year’s draft, he applauded Mingo’s insane athleticism, but also ensured that the masses became aware of impending pass-rushing linebacker’s top-flight character. Before a question was even asked, Chudzinski waxed impressed.
“The thing that stood out to us was the kind of person that he is,” Chudzinski said of Mingo. “He has outstanding character, extremely highly recommended from the people down [in Louisiana] that you talk to. He’s an extremely impressive young man.”
