Bears sign edge rusher Barkevious Mingo to one-year deal

The Bears have signed outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo to a one-year deal, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday night. The deal is for $1.187 million with $887,000 guaranteed, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Mingo was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2013 draft, spending the first three years of his career with the Browns. He had five sacks in his rookie campaign, but he has served as more of a special teamer since then, tallying just five sacks in the six seasons since his first year in the league. He has bounced around the NFL since then, spending one season with the Patriots, Colts, Seahawks and Texans, the latter team being his home for the 2019 season. He was sent to Houston from Seattle as a part of the trade package that sent Jadeveon Clowney to the Seahawks.

The 29-year-old Mingo will serve as athletic depth for the Bears at an edge rusher position that is very thin outside of starters Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn. His true value, though, will come on special teams. He played on 74 percent of Houston’s special teams snaps this past season and has played on at least 63 percent of his team’s special teams snaps every year over the past five seasons. He also has experience playing under members of the Bears’ coaching staff, as defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano was his head coach in Indianapolis, and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor coaches him in the same role with the Browns.

Though Mingo didn’t develop into the standout pass-rusher Cleveland thought he would become coming out of LSU, he is still an athletic defender who offers length at 6-foot-5 and should play an important role in the third phase for the Bears as they add other veterans like Jordan Lucas and Artie Burns to strengthen their special teams units.