There was a time this offseason, in early June, when the New England Patriots’ plan at wide receiver was teetering on a complete disaster, at least from the outside looking in.
They had bolstered their young group with a pair of veteran free agent signings with Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, but fans might remember things being a tad awkward at the start. There was plenty of early-summer drama surrounding Diggs and the health of his surgically repaired knee, the language surrounding the guaranteed money in his contract, and his off-field decision making after a viral boat video did laps on social media over Memorial Day Weekend.
Hollins, meanwhile, opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list with an injury the Patriots never even disclosed, leaving fans in the dark about his standing with the team.
Thankfully for Patriots fans, it was much to do about nothing, as both Hollins and Diggs made their Foxboro debuts in Week 1 and have since completely flipped the narrative on New England’s wide receiver room.
Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins are reshaping the Patriots’ offense in one crucial way
It’s hard to believe now, with the Patriots firing on all cylinders in the passing game behind the ascending Drake Maye, but the longest-tenured wide receivers on the roster entering 2025 were a pair of 2023 sixth-round draft picks.
Both Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas had shown promise over their first two seasons in the league, but in 2025, they were greeted by a new head coach and offensive coordinator for the third time in as many years. Still, some felt Dougals could operate as Maye’s de facto No. 1 receiver as the starting slot in Josh McDaniels’ offense.
It became clear by September, though, that Diggs was healthy and ready to roll. Hollins flashed immediate chemistry with Maye, hauling in touchdown catches in two of the Patriots’ first four games. Boutte wasted no time setting the stage for a breakout with six receptions for 103 yards in the season opener.
Douglas actually saw his role decrease as Maye began spreading the football around, a staple of the McDaniels offense when being executed at a high level. Six different players have led the Patriots in receiving over their 13 games, and with Maye now firmly in the MVP conversation, New England’s passing offense has shot from dead-last in the NFL at 176.2 yards per game, to No. 2 overall this year (behind only Dallas) at 249.7 per game.
In an appearance earlier this year on Dudes On Dudes, the sports podcast co-hosted by Patriots legends Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, Douglas spoke on the dynamic of the team’s current wide receiver room, lauding both Diggs and Hollins for showing the group how to be winners from Day 1.
“We’ve got so many different personalities,” Douglas said. “It all comes together on the field. I’d say, Stef (Diggs), that’s the vet, you know? And he done seen it all. He definitely don’t let nothing slide. That’s what we needed in that room. We needed someone who’s not going to let you slack… and that’s Mack Hollins, too. That’s a different breed. I ain’t gonna lie.”
The Patriots certainly look vindicated now with both Diggs and Hollins healthy and ready to lead the rest of New England's wide receiver group into its first playoff action in a few weeks. Hollins won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles back in 2017 (a game no Patriots fan cares to remember), and led all Bills receivers with 73 yards and a touchdown in last year’s AFC Championship Game loss to Kansas City. Diggs, meanwhile, has played in 14 total playoff games over 11 pro seasons, dating back to his start with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015.
If the Patriots end up advancing multiple rounds in the playoffs this year, their receiver group morphing into a completely different animal overnight will be a major reason why.