It really should not rank as any kind of deal when a team trades a pass-rusher who had seven sacks in three seasons.
That's what the Browns did when they sent Barkevious Mingo to New England. They traded a pass-rusher who didn't produce.
The deal about the deal is that the Browns whiffed on another first-round pick. Another high first-round pick.
The poor record of the Browns' top picks would make anyone sick. Add in that many were top-10 picks and it's worse.
Since the Browns took Joe Haden in 2010, the first-round picks have gone this way:
DT Phil Taylor, 21st overall — Did well for Browns, was recently released by Denver. Will always be "the guy the Browns acquired when they gave up the right to draft wide receiver Julio Jones."
QB Brandon Weeden, 22nd overall — Now a backup in Houston.
RB Trent Richardson, third overall — Out of the NFL.
Mingo, sixth overall — Traded to New England.
QB Johnny Manziel, 22nd overall — Out of the NFL.
CB Justin Gilbert, eighth overall — Fighting for a roster spot.
C Cam Erving, 19th overall — Slated to start at center, but results have been mixed on his play.
NT Danny Shelton, 12th overall — Starting nose tackle, but played in the third quarter of preseason game two, which usually is a sign team is concerned with him.
WR Corey Coleman, 15th overall — Looked very good in initial practices; just coming back from a hamstring issue.
Does losing Mingo matter?
Not much. Ray Horton coached Mingo in 2013; he coached him again. It says something that Horton could not find a spot for him.
Mingo proved to be what the knock against him was when he came out of LSU: Too thin to play in the more demanding NFL. Weight was always an issue for Mingo. This season he supposedly put on 20 pounds, but it never showed on the field, in practice or games.
He was not strong enough to play every down, not talented enough to rush the passer, not skilled enough to play in coverage. When Horton tried him inside in camp, it was a sign the Browns were flailing. He leaves Cleveland with seven sacks, three of them in his first three games, four in his last 43. Somehow the Browns got a fifth-round pick for a player with those numbers.
This regime has no ties to past high picks. Since March, Sashi Brown and Hue Jackson have let two go, via release and trade: Manziel and Mingo.
The remaining ones have yet to prove themselves. Gilbert is fighting for a roster spot. Erving and Shelton will be on the team, but their future in Cleveland probably depends on how they play this season.
Going back and ripping draft picks is always easy. A couple of the Browns' picks made sense at the time and didn't work out. A couple were slated for problems from the second they were picked.
Regardless, the bottom line is the bottom line: From 2007 through 2014, the Browns had 10 first-round picks. Three remain on the roster -- Joe Thomas, Haden and Gilbert.
