The New England Patriots moved aggressively to bolster their wide receiver room this offseason. Added to the unit were bona fide No. 1 wide receiver A.J. Brown and de facto No. 2 wideout Romeo Doubs.
This allowed Mike Vrabel to trade former No. 2 receiver Kayshon Boutte. Both Brown and Doubs are improvements on the 2025 versions and should be valuable upgrades for MVP-level quarterback and emerging superstar Drake Maye.
One stalwart receiver who's gotten less attention this offseason but will still be a major 2026 asset is second-year Patriot Mack Hollins. Hollins had a solid 2025 season with 46 catches for 550 yards and two touchdowns.
He was also a major influence in a Patriots receiver room filled with young players. Now he's being recognized by SI.com's Ethan Hurwitz, Jennifer Street, and Mike D'Abate as a "much-needed addition" to that 2025 squad.
While Hollins will never lead the NFL in any big statistical categories, his contributions are still noteworthy. In addition to his two touchdown passes, Hollins also added 28 catches that went for first downs.
As he did in Buffalo in 2024, Hollins made his catches count, no matter how many or how few targets he got. Pilfering him away from Buffalo was a brilliant "addition by subtraction" gambit by Vrabel.
New England Patriots' receiver Mack Hollins is a valued wide receiver
As the Patriots' tallest 2025 receiver, Hollins represented a big target for the Patriots' Drake Maye and his offense. Hollins, at 6'4", is an imposing figure, and now, added to Brown and Doubs, he's part of a trio of big wideouts for Drake Maye to target.
SI's Hurwitz and his colleagues outlined what Hollins brought to the Patriots' offense in 2025.
"Hollins’ blend of size, speed and strength were a much-needed addition within the Pats’ lineup last season. At his best, he is an apt blocker, capable of making an impact in the run game as well as aiding in pass protection. With his 6-foot-4, 221-pound frame, the Rockville, Virginia, native also cut an imposing figure that made him a popular red zone target for quarterback Drake Maye.
He finished the regular season with 46 catches for 550 yards and two touchdowns. The former UNC Tar Heel added six catches for 129 yards and one touchdown in two playoff appearances with the Pats this postseason."
With Boutte now in Houston, Hollins will likely be the No. 3 wide receiver after Brown and Doubs.
Pop Douglas and Efton Chism III will man the slot. Hollins and Brown will also hopefully help Kyle Williams, a 2025 third-round pick, reach his full potential.
Williams has tremendous breakaway speed if he can find seams in the defense. Hollins and Brown should be able to help him do just that.
With all the changes in the Patriots' receivers' room, having a productive veteran presence like Mack Hollins around is a luxury. Now in his second year in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' offense, he'll be a huge asset to both the new players and the young receivers like Williams and Chism in the unit.
Vrabel hit a home run by signing Mack Hollins. He'll be a solid asset once more in 2026.
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