Bears Rumors: Ex-1st-Round Pick Barkevious Mingo Agrees to 1-Year Contract

The Chicago Bears are signing free-agent linebacker Barkevious Mingo on a one-year deal, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Sunday night.

Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported Mingo's deal will be worth $1.187 million, with $887,000 fully guaranteed. Wilson noted the Houston Texans also made Mingo an offer.

Rapoport added that Mingo is "a familiar face" for Chicago defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, who was the Indianapolis Colts head coach when Mingo played there in 2017, as well as special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, who served as the Cleveland Browns special teams coordinator during Mingo's tenure there.

The Browns drafted Mingo sixth overall in the 2013 draft. The 29-year-old played for the Browns through the 2015 season.

The Browns traded the LSU product to the New England Patriots in August 2016, which began a stretch of Mingo playing for one season with four different teams. The Indianapolis Colts signed him in March 2017. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in March 2018. The Seahawks dealt Mingo to the Houston Texans in a trade package for Jadeveon Clowney last September.

Mingo has never appeared in fewer than 15 regular-season games. He has played in all 16 regular-season contests every year since 2015. Last season, Mingo started one of his 16 appearances—recording no sacks and just six tackles. Overall, he has 10 sacks and 220 tackles (156 solo) in 110 games (38 starts).

As 670 The Score's Chris Emma pointed out, Mingo has been a value special teams asset throughout his career.

The Bears have been busy so far in free agency, especially defensively. Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Robert Quinn agreed to a five-year, $70 million contract with the team last week. Veteran inside linebacker Danny Trevathan signed an extension, while safety Deon Bush re-signed and former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Artie Burns agreed to a one-year deal with Chicago.

Offensively, the Bears traded with the Jacksonville Jaguars for quarterback Nick Foles.

Chicago finished 8-8 in 2019 and missed the playoffs for the eighth time since 2010.