Yes, Mingo is decidedly more like Collins in his makeup. Here's the thing: the game has changed since the year when Mayo was drafted to anchor our LB corp. Collins and Mingo are the future at the position as the NFL becomes more pass oriented, and the power running game becomes increasingly marginalized. The days of the big interior thumper, like Ted Johnson and Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo (and Jonathan Freeney) are gone... Freeney is a shadow of the past.
Belichick sees it better than anyone, and has talked about it to the press. He is following and setting the trend to lighter, faster linebackers who can rush the passer, cover a TE or RB in coverage. Modern LBs are not being asked to body up with interior linemen to plug the run, nearly as much, they need to be fast to the edge and explosive in a blitz look.
BB has been recruiting a new brand of players along the defensive front, characterized by Collins, Mingo... even Patrick Chung playing a SS/LB hybrid. It used to be called the Big Nickel defense, but it is becoming increasingly the base defensive front.
So, I do not retract the idea that Mingo is a roster backfill for Mayo. He's a product of an entirely new recruiting profile, and represents a shift in philosophy.
