Patriots preseason Week 4: 3 things we liked about Barkevious Mingo

Sep 1, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants cornerback Michael Hunter (39) fumbles the ball while being tackled by New England Patriots Barkevious Mingo (51) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Recent addition Barkevious Mingo saw his first action as a member of the New England Patriots last night.

Here are three things we liked about the first showing of the former Cleveland Browns’ linebacker in New England:

3. Speed into backfield

Mingo’s scary athleticism was on full display last night; at any given moment, he could be seen timing a snap perfectly and penetrating the backfield, or using his speed to chase the quarterback. We saw Mingo chase down Ryan Nassib from the other end of the defensive line, indicating that the LSU product has blazing speed that the Patriots are hoping to see on a regular basis this season; after all, they gave up a fifth round pick for the rights to Mingo.

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Couple Mingo with Jamie Collins, and you have a pair of fast, athletic linebackers occupying 6-foot-4 frames. Plus, both Mingo and Collins wear jersey numbers that end in “1”, so they are pretty easy to mix up on the field.

Aug 12, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Justin Perillo (80) is tackled by Cleveland Browns linebacker Barkevious Mingo (51) after catching a pass in the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

2. Forced fumbles

In back-to-back plays, Mingo forced a fumble. The first came on that hustle play in which Mingo raced around the long way to catch Nassib completely vulnerable to getting crushed. Mingo not only planted Nassib firmly in the dirt, but he also made a deliberate attempt, and succeeded, in forcing the ball loose.

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On the very next play, Mingo factored into the tackling of Orleans Darkwa and then went above the call of duty, punching the ball onto the turf for a Patriots recovery. It’s these kinds of plays that are a direct result of Mingo’s insane speed, length and athleticism, and it is exactly why the Patriots aggressively traded for the linebacker. Cleveland can often be a talent warp for promising rookies, so you can bet that Mingo is happy to be somewhere new where he can win.

Nov 15, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo (51) commits a roughing the passer penalty against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

1. Length and power

Not only is Mingo fast and athletic, but he showed last night that he can pack a punch. One particular play caught this writer’s attention: Mingo slammed into the Giants’ backfield and then smartly fell off his blocker so he could wrap up the ball carrier. But it wasn’t a typical tackle, as Mingo had to stretch the limbs of his lengthy frame to make the play. Impressive.

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Additionally, Mingo’s power was evident when he absolutely rocked Nassib into the turf after getting a clear shot blitzing up the middle. Mark these words: Mingo will take the league by storm if he gets uncontested or lightly blocked paths at opposing quarterbacks. He is just too fast and too powerful to be ignored.

What was your favorite Mingo moment from last night?