Barkevious Mingo

It's another "prove it" season for Barkevious Mingo in 2016.

(Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns have a pass-rushing problem. They ranked 28th in the NFL a season ago, registering just 29 sacks. It's amplified by playing in a division with three playoff-caliber quarterbacks.

Part of the plan for 2016 is throwing bodies at the problem. They'll hope for a turnaround from veteran Paul Kruger and a breakout from Barkevious Mingo in Year 4. They'll hope for steps forward from Nate Orchard. They'll hope rookies Emmanuel Ogbah and Joe Schobert can match their athleticism to their production.

It's a lot of hoping, but that's the state of the 2016 Browns. Give the guys here a chance to fix the problem and, if they can't, use the draft picks and cap space to move on.

Here's a look at the Browns' outside linebacker room. Will freedom from the shackles of Jim O'Neil's defense be enough? Or will they find themselves shopping again for help next season in free agency and the draft?

The veterans

Paul Kruger

It won't take long to find out how much the Browns misusing the veteran last season was at fault for his decline in production. His 2.5 sacks were his lowest since his second season in the league.

"Personally, I probably wouldn't say so," he said towards the end of last season when asked if he was used properly. "I don't have too much more to say about it but I don't put everything personally this year on that, but I don't think I was utilized in the best way."

Now 30, Kruger is one of the few veterans and, therefore, is expected to take on more of a leadership role.

"Paul Kruger has been a tremendous leader for the other guys so far through the spring and early summer," outside linebackers coach Ryan Slowik said. "Guys gravitate towards him and he's kind of accepted a leadership role and he's excited about it."

The closer Kruger gets to the 11 sacks of two years ago -- and beyond that, just hitting the quarterback to create turnovers like he did in 2014 -- the better the defense will perform.

Barkevious Mingo

Talk about a "prove it" season. Mingo, who has bulked up significantly, saw the Browns decline to pick up his fifth-year option, meaning it's time to make things happen.

"We're going to move him around," defensive coordinator Ray Horton said. "He's not going to line up at just one position and win that way. We are going to move him around."

"How much he moves around is up to him," Slowik said. "As far as how much he embraces the defense and continues to grow in it, but so far that's the plan. Get him active in different ways, doing different things."

We know the athleticism is there and this coaching staff wants to unlock his potential. Whether they can do it or not, though, is still very much to be determined.

The youngsters

Emmanuel Ogbah

Want to hear coaches rave about a guy's freakish ability? Ask them about Ogbah. The second-round pick, who weighs in at 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, is making the transition from college defensive end to outside linebacker, but there is plenty of excitement to see the finished product.

"I'll say each day he's gotten better," Slowik said. "He'll ask questions that are a little more advanced than the question he asked the day before and you can see it once he starts to just let it go and play how talented he is. So each day is a step in that direction."

"Not to put an anchor around his neck or a burden on him, but I think collectively we were shocked at his first individual drill at how well he was able to move," Horton said. "You see someone in college do it very little, and in our position drills I think it was a collective smile on the coaches' faces. He is so much more athletic than what he showed on his tape."

"He's going to be one of those guys, in a year from now, he's going to be unblockable," strength and conditioning/skill development coach Master Joe Kim said. "It's like LeBron going to the rim. When he decides to do it, you ain't gonna stop him."

If he taps into that potential quickly, he'll likely push one of the veterans aside.

Nate Orchard

The second-year product out of Utah seems to finally be catching his breath. It took him most of last season to finally register his first career sack, but a full off-season under his belt certainly won't hurt.

"Things are starting to slow down a little bit for him in a good way as they do from a rookie to Year Two and he's beginning to see football and his blinders are kind of coming off and his vision is expanding," Slowik said.

"Last year was definitely a roller coaster," Orchard said, "but I grew tons. Mentally, physically and getting used to the playbook was something which was huge, being the first time in the NFL and having a lot thrown at me. I think I handled it well and as the season went on, towards the end, I started to pick up and started to get in my groove."

Joe Schobert

The conventional wisdom with Schobert was that he would play inside when the Browns drafted him, but Schobert told cleveland.com that he worked mostly outside during spring practices.

"He's going to be a very good pro," Slowik said. "He knows what to do. He knows how to do it and I'm excited to see him in this defense."

Fighting for roster spots

Jackson Jeffcoat

The Browns claimed Jeffcoat off waivers from Washington in April. Now in his third season, he spent his first two with the Redskins, appearing in nine games. Jeffcoat was placed on injured reserve last season.

"He's starting to get healthy, he's starting to pick up the defense and kind of flash some pass rush skills, so we're excited about that," Slowik said.

Cam Johnson

A seventh-round pick of the 49ers in 2012, he was elevated to the active roster at the end of last season. He appeared in 15 games during his first three seasons in the league in San Francisco and Indianapolis. He recorded two tackles in the season-ending loss to the Steelers last season.

Slowik called him "a very pleasant surprise."

"I didn't really have much tape on him," he said, "but he comes out, he works his tail off and he does everything you tell him to do."

Follow me: on Twitter | on Facebook