Barkevious Mingo explains the 'huge culture shock' of going from Browns to Patriots
The New England Patriots made a couple of surprising moves in the past week, but the biggest shock was the team trading for former sixth-overall pick Barkevious Mingo. The Patriots were able to land him from the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round selection in the 2017 draft, adding a raw pass rusher to their somewhat depleted corps.
Mingo is just the latest player to be scooped up by New England as Bill Belichick and the coaching staff attempt to revive his career. He’s excited about the challenge, too.
In Cleveland, Mingo was a bust in just about every sense of the word. He had seven sacks in three seasons, including none in 2015. He also made just 16 starts in that span. Going from Cleveland to New England isn’t just a scheme change, it’s a culture change, too.
“It’s a huge culture shock. I felt like the winning spirit was making its way into Cleveland with those new coaches. But it’s definitely been established here for a long time,” he said via the Boston Globe.
The Browns have been known as one of the most futile franchises in the NFL over the past decade-plus. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2002 and have finished last in the AFC North in all but two of the last 13 years. The Patriots have been just the opposite, winning their division all but one season since 2003.
The Browns’ roster also pales in comparison with that of New England’s.
“It’s very exciting [to be with the Patriots]. This team is stacked at every position,” Mingo said. “They’ve got guys on the outside who can cover. We’ve got interior guys who are holding gaps and linebackers that are hitting those gaps and making big plays, so I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
One of the major differences between the Patriots and Browns is the coaching staff and front office. Cleveland undergoes changes on a regular basis while the Patriots have remained as consistent as any team in sports.
That’s a major difference Mingo sees and admits it was an obstacle he had to overcome.
“It was a huge challenge,” he said. “Not knowing going into a year what’s going to be in the playbook, who’s going to be the coach? How are you going to be used?”
It’s fairly safe to assume Mingo will make the team when the Patriots cut down to their regular season 53-man roster on Saturday. However, the magnitude of his impact this season remains to be seen. At the very least he fits better in the Patriots’ 4-3 front, so that should help him to start. But even Belichick admits Mingo has “a lot of catching up to do.”
