Patriots’ Mack Hollins Speaks on ‘Most Competitive WR Room’ He’s Been a Part Of

The New England Patriots signed receiver Mack Hollins to a two-year, $8.4 million contract this offseason. But that was just one of many additions the Patriots made to their receiver room.

New England also signed free agent receiver Stefon Diggs, drafted receiver Kyle Williams, and signed undrafted free agent receivers Efton Chism III and Jeremiah Webb. Those guys added to a group that already included receivers DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, Javon Baker, and Ja'Lynn Polk.

Every team has many guys competing at each position throughout the offseason, but Hollins told the media after Monday's practice that the level of focus and competition has been different at the Patriots' camp in 2025.

"More than any time else in my career, the entire group has had a good camp of competing, making sure they know what to do, making plays when it comes their way," Hollins said. "Versus a lot of times in my career, you got, you know, three guys that are like, 'Oh, those are the guys.' And everybody else is like, 'Oh, they're kind of bodies along the way.' That's not the thing here. It's like, oh, everybody better come prepared every single morning, because you could get your job taken."

It feels like every day at Patriots' camp, a new guy is making the headline play. Whether it's the expected guy like Diggs, the exciting rookie in Williams, the slot-gadget receiver in Douglas, or the second-year LSU product in Boutte. The Patriots have a lot of young, talented receivers who are getting a chance to compete for a role in 2025.

But, they also brought in veteran presences with Diggs and Hollins this offseason to help the rookies develop and learn. Hollins hasn't been on the practice field as much this offseason, but head coach Mike Vrabel said he's been doing work off the field to help out the young receiving group.

"Spent a lot of time here in the offseason, locked in, engaged. Rare for a player to be able to get that much information and not practice. That's hard," Vrabel said. "That's hard just even thinking back when I was in those opportunities to be able to do that and still understand the details and not practicing. So, locked in, ready to go, excited to see him get out there and practice."

The Patriots have a new offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels, who is known to have a complex playbook. Hollins' ability to understand it for himself and help the young receivers around him has been crucial.

On a not-as-serious note, anyone who knows Hollins knows he has quite the personality on and off the football field. At Monday's practice, Hollins gave everyone a good laugh with his uniform attire as his shirt was cut like streamers from the chest down, and he jogged over to the media barefoot. But the veteran receiver also explained the functional and practical part of his shirt.

Although Hollins brings the fun to football, he also brings a strong veteran presence to the Patriots. He's entering his seventh year in the NFL, and the Patriots will be his sixth different team.

Hollins has been around the block, and his calling this Patriots' receiver group the most competitive he's been in should give fans confidence in the work each of the young receivers is putting in.

Diggs is a lock as the Patriots' No. 1 receiver, and Douglas seems to be a lock in the slot, but after that, there's a lot of competition, and every guy has had a highlight-reel play so far in training camp.