Outside the occasional storm cloud, the Cleveland Browns remain a team with reason for hope in 2013.
Part of that goes back to a defense that imported some legitimate talent in Paul Kruger, Desmond Bryant and Barkevious Mingo, the No. 6 overall pick in April's draft.
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Mingo has yet to play a snap in the NFL, but he envisions big things for the Browns.
"If everything is going well, I think this defense could be the best in the league," Mingo said Tuesday, according to The Plain Dealer.
"We have a lot of players that can contribute and help this team win. We've got a lot of rushers," Mingo added. "We've got corners on the back end. We've got D-linemen that can hold those blocks and get off and make plays. We've got linebackers that can come up and tackle the run and get back in coverage as well. So we have a lot of tools that we can use."
Defensive coordinator Ray Horton has likened the offseason additions on defense to winning the Powerball lottery. The outlook certainly is positive in Berea, Ohio -- we'll see if hype leads to results.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.