2025 WR Depth Chart

[signbabybrady]

The final roster spots for both receivers and defensive backs usually go to guys who contribute on special teams, Polk, Baker, and Boutte haven’t shown any ability to be effective special teams players, so all 3 are in serious peril of losing their jobs. Hollins is a very good special teams player, and Vrabel isn’t going to care about keeping 2024 draftees. Unless those guys stand out in camp and preseason they pretty much screwed.

So who is going to play special teams?

I can accept that Hollins intangibles like blocking, STs, and leadership could put some other guys in peril but that's a very different thing than calling him a lock.

 

[signbabybrady]

Bourne 28yrs 6months Week 8 10/29/23 - Activated from PUP on October 5, 2024
Diggs 30yrs 11months Week 8 10/27/24


I fully expect Diggs to start the season on PUP

I don't even think he'll start Training camp in pup.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I can accept that Hollins intangibles like blocking, STs, and leadership could put some other guys in peril but that's a very different thing than calling him a lock.

It’s a major advantage when you’re competing for a position and the 3 guys you are competing against don’t block, aren’t leaders, and don’t play special teams, especially when many of your special teams players come from the end of the roster guys at DB and WR.

 

[Real fan 02]

Again thank you: I said the same thing: dude's a 300yds a year WR max that's not a #2 WR. People are really setting the bar low around here. The Wild card is K Bourne can he get back to where he was with McDaniels?? Boutte - Baker and Polk should make Hollins expendable.

I've went on as far to say I like Hollins.. but I'm looking at the big picture.. Vrabel said everyone will earn thier spots by competing. Having youth, upside and already having a connection with Drake give Boutte inside advantage already.. same for pop.

 

[Sciz]

The Hollins obsession from some is entertaining. I don't see how anyone can consider him a lock. He's competing with Polk, Baker, Bourne, Boutte and a couple of undrafted players for 2 spots maybe 3 if someone uses an IR or pup spot.

These guys think we keep 5 and get rid of 2 (hint they don't even mention Hollins name).

They "predicted that the Patriots will keep Stefon Diggs, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, and Ja'Lynn Polk meaning that Kendrick Bourne and Javon Baker do not make the cut."

Patriots Expected to Cut Ties With Kendrick Bourne and Javon Baker

The New England Patriots' 53-man roster predictions have been released, and they're projected to cut ties with wide receivers Kendrick Bourne and Javon Baker.

sports.yahoo.com

That’s just bad aggregation. Hollins is on Graff’s roster projection that the Yahoo article is referencing.

 

[Steve102]

 

[signbabybrady]

That’s just bad aggregation. Hollins is on Graff’s roster projection that the Yahoo article is referencing.

Aggregators are like the Newman of the interwebs. Paysites too lol.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I've went on as far to say I like Hollins.. but I'm looking at the big picture.. Vrabel said everyone will earn thier spots by competing. Having youth, upside and already having a connection with Drake give Boutte inside advantage already.. same for pop.

Once again, then who is going to play special teams? If you aren’t a core starter you need to contribute in special teams, and they don’t give you that. The 3 locks are Diggs, Douglas, and Williams, the rest are competing for roster spots, and only Hollins gives them special teams play.

 

[Steve102]

Pretty simple really I see at least 5 WR better than Hollins.

Diggs and Pop are way better.

Agree.

Williams is rookie so I'm not sure but he looks significantly better.

Agree. He's Team Vrabel and those guys get an advantage.

Bourne and Boutte in their best years had better production than Hollins best year.

This is my issue. Both have been here as WR1 or 2, depending on how you count. You can say Pop is WR1, but he's a slot, so I tend to say he's a different category. Naturally, because they are "the guy" here, their production would be better than Hollins. The fact that they have better numbers is irrelevant IMO. With this logic, they would have been better off keeping Reche Caldwell in 2006 with better numbers (61 catches, 760 yards, 4 TD) than upgrading to Wes Welker (67 catches, 687 yards 1 TD) who's numbers were not as good. With that said, Hollins isn't here for his numbers. He's here to bring professionalism and a work ethic to the most useless, entitled WR room in the NFL.

Then you still have Polk and Baker and UDFAs.

Chism has a good of a chance as making the roster as these chuckleheads do.

The math simply doesn't add up to Hollins being a lock.

Base on my above statement, it does. Lock.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

I don't see how you don't view Hollins as a lock. They brought him as a culture guy. They have a huge entitlement problem in the room, without a lot of successes. He's here to change things. Gone are the days of Bill bringing in a FA and then cutting them because they don't make the cut. There's too many guys in that room who cannot fog a mirror, this kid can.

The 1st time Hollins levels someone will be an Eye-opener.

 

[patchick]

My favorite qualities of Hollins as a “culture” signing are his “culture” of being 6’4” 221 and a plus blocker.

Other WRs on the roster have higher ceilings, but he can do things none of them can — things that kept him on the field for Buffalo. (Hollins played far more snaps than any other WR, TE or RB for the Bills last year.) I give him the inside track.

 

[PatsFan2]

 

[BobDigital]

I've change my tune on the WR room after the draft and really picturing how things will do in the off season.

My 6 WRs going into the year are...

Diggs (Everyone is saying he is on track to start week 1... so i will go with that)
Williams
Hollins (He has too many things he does for this team which are special and different.... good STer, size, run blocking, locker room guy)
Douglas
Boutte
Chism

Cut: Bourne, Polk, Baker.... (Unless Boutte is traded.... but i don't think they just plain cut him... but they may look to get value, and i'd be okay with that. He has too much value just to cut though).

Diggs will likely not see any preseason action... maybe the final game but very limited. Everyone is saying he is on track to start week 1... so i will go with that.
Williams is a lock, no question. And i think he slides right into the #2 role very quickly... his ability to separate and get off the line is already elite even at the NFL level.
Hollins has too many things he does for this team which are special and different.... good STer, size, run blocking, locker room guy. Also his contract makes clear how they value those things... he's in and will see reps on running downs and probably red zone.
Douglas will start and be kept as the slot guy. Only Chism can steal this role, and he won't be ready to take it from him week 1... plus 2 slot guys isn't bad due to injury possiblities.
Boutte is either trading or making this team. I think they will look to move him and while he was too valuable to move before the draft due to contract, age and upside... that isn't 100% the case now. Though it be nice to have him around for when Diggs finally walks.
Chism is making the 53... I've been going over it in my mind, and i just don't think he can be cut if they want to keep him, and they will. He can return kicks and punts. And i think like Edelman he will instantly pop in preseason just like Edelman did. His game will translate very quickly. I think if they put him on the waiver wire they lose him and probably never get him back. So he forces their hand.

I've said before it seems very unlikely for this team to cut Polk... (Baker was much more possible) due to his pick if he shows anything. Now that isn't the case. He can't just show a little something and hint at future possibility. He needs to ball and show not just maybe this year he will start to live up to his potential a bit eventually. He needs to show he can start living up to it week 1. If he does, they move Boutte even if not good value trade. Bourne is a cap casuality.

Unfortunately this means a 7.2M dead cap hit. But it's just the cost of doing business and why it is so important to not sign bad contracts or miss on drafted players in the first 2 rounds. And i think Polk hasa great chance to find his way on our PS anyway.. hope he does.

 

[Real fan 02]

 

[signbabybrady]

Agree.

Agree. He's Team Vrabel and those guys get an advantage.

This is my issue. Both have been here as WR1 or 2, depending on how you count. You can say Pop is WR1, but he's a slot, so I tend to say he's a different category. Naturally, because they are "the guy" here, their production would be better than Hollins. The fact that they have better numbers is irrelevant IMO. With this logic, they would have been better off keeping Reche Caldwell in 2006 with better numbers (61 catches, 760 yards, 4 TD) than upgrading to Wes Welker (67 catches, 687 yards 1 TD) who's numbers were not as good. With that said, Hollins isn't here for his numbers. He's here to bring professionalism and a work ethic to the most useless, entitled WR room in the NFL.

Chism has a good of a chance as making the roster as these chuckleheads do.

Base on my above statement, it does. Lock.

Comparing any of these guys to Wes is laughable. But your ignoring that Hollins is old and Wes was stepping into his prime.

I'll take Reche from any of the lot. And that's why none of them are a lock (not including Diggs, Pop, and Williams).

 

[Real fan 02]

Comparing any of these guys to Wes is laughable. But your ignoring that Hollins is old and Wes was stepping into his prime.

I'll take Reche from any of the lot. And that's why none of them are a lock (not including Diggs, Pop, and Williams).

 

[Grogan14]

Comparing any of these guys to Wes is laughable. But your ignoring that Hollins is old and Wes was stepping into his prime.

I'll take Reche from any of the lot. And that's why none of them are a lock (not including Diggs, Pop, 1

 

[TheRainMaker]

Mack Hollins claim to fame was a doctored pictured online that made him looked jacked. He was the 4th guy in Buffalo who doesn't have any world beaters at WR or TE. The coaches will want Williams, Polk and Baker to kick him off the roster.

He's 2019 Maurice Harris/Bruce Ellington/Cameron Meredith = camp body.

 

[n1997y]

Who will be WR1 by midseason? Will it still be Diggs? Will it be Williams? Or will someone else (Polk? Baker?) emerge?

 

[stelfans]

Pretty simple really I see at least 5 WR better than Hollins.

Diggs and Pop are way better.

Williams is rookie so I'm not sure but he looks significantly better.

Bourne and Boutte in their best years had better production than Hollins best year.

Then you still have Polk and Baker and UDFAs.

The math simply doesn't add up to Hollins being a lock.

Only problem with that logic is that Hollie’s plays special teams and was brought in by the OC. So unless he completely ****s the bed he is a lock.