The New England Patriots entered the offseason with a clear goal for their offense: Improving the wide receiver corps. Adding Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown to that room definitely did the trick, at least on paper.
As such, those looking to make some noise and get Drake Maye's attention will have to work twice as hard in 2026. Notably, that includes Mack Hollins, who hauled in 46 receptions for 550 yards and two touchdowns in his first season in Foxborough.
That's why he may not be satisfied with his rather quiet performance in the 13-13 tie with the Indianapolis Colts. He didn't make the most of his opportunities to show that he can also be a factor in the passing game.
Mack Hollins' uneven preseason debut puts him on the scope
With the offensive starters sitting out, Hollins was supposed to be the top dog for backup QB Tommy DeVito. He had an up-and-down first quarter with some head-scratching misses before making an 18-yard grab. All in all, he hauled in two of four targets for 24 yards.
Hollins' targets might be scarce in 2026 with Brown and Doubs in town, so he certainly needs to do better to prove that he can make an impact on limited opportunities.
Even if the Patriots trade Kayshon Boutte as expected, Hollins would still have to leapfrog the likes of DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams to get on the field.
Talking about Williams, he was actually one of the few bright spots in Josh McDaniels' offense on Thursday night. He had Colts cornerback Jonathan Edwards in a blender in most of their matchups, showcasing his impressive separation skills to move past him for a 12-yard score in the first half. He also had a 25-yard grab.
The Patriots went from having an underwhelming wide receiver corps to having more mouths than they can feed. That doesn't mean Hollins will be the odd man out and won't make the roster; it definitely raises the bar.
A proven veteran like him shouldn't have had that much trouble holding onto the ball and securing his targets against a backup secondary. Of course, this is just the preseason, and he may need to shake off the rust, but he may not get as many chances to prove his vertical threat abilities once the starters take the field.
Preseason games are always a bit of a mixed bag, and they're definitely not the best brand of football. This is the right time to make mistakes, but Coach Vrabel won't look the other way after consecutive disappointing performances.
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