Hollins As A Special Teamer

[mgteich]

Developmental - its your descriptive. its not about this year, it is about next year or the year after.

Jakobi Meyers, an udfa, was the last "developmental wr" to succeed, so it hasn't been a decade since its happened here...

and you will never know if Chism, Polk, Baker, etc can develop into a decent player if you throw them on the trash heap in favor of a JAG you want to keep because he can play special teams...

You read better than this.

1) We have not had 4 WR's all with over 32 catches for 10 years.

2) Do you disagree? BTW, I think this year may indeed be the year, with both Boutte and Williams getting over 32 catches.

3) I support keeping one of Baker, Polk or Chism on the 53. I do NOT expect any of them to get over 32 catches. Absent 2 injuries I wouldn't expect any of them to be active.

4) I see the top 9 receivers as
Diggs
Henry
Douglas
Henderson
Boutte
Williams
Hooper
Gibson or Stevenson
Hollins

 

[mgteich]

Hollins played for Mickey D in Vegas where he racked up 690 yards and 4 TDs.

He will be 32 to begin this season and obviously 33 next year. Not a long term solution to the Pats WR room.

I agree that Hollins is not a long-term solution to our WR problem. No one ever said that he was. He is year by year and has a 2-year contract with no 2026 guaranteed money. I think that he is reasonably priced asset to the team.
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Perhaps our 2025, 2026 and 2027 top receivers will be Diggs, Henry, Douglas, Williams, Henderson and Boutte. Is that a reasonable FOUR wide receivers for the future?

Obviously, we might add another top receiver in addition to Diggs. If there is injury, someone might be replaced.
=========
Does the future solution require more than these four, augmented by another top receiver if possible?

 

[Ring 6]

Hollins makes team because of his special team play (see below). Sure, he can catch a couple of key passes a game (almost all for first downs or TD's last year), but that isn't enough to make a team. After all, in the last 10 years, no #4 or #5 or #6 patriot WR has averaged 3 receptions a game for a season. To make the roster as a #4 or #5 receiver, you must be a really solid backup or high current draft pick or play lots of special teams. Diggs, Boutte, Douglas, Williams and Hollins make 5. We could keep another, but don't expect him to contribute this year.
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from wiki

"Mack Hollins, currently a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, is known for his versatility and has a history of contributing significantly on special teams throughout his NFL career.
Hollins has played a significant role on special teams in every one of his NFL stops.
His specific special teams roles have included:

• Kickoff and Punt Coverage: Hollins has excelled as a "gunner" or other coverage player, racing down the field to tackle returners or pin the opposing team deep in their own territory.
• Special Teams Tackler: He has accumulated 28 career special teams tackles, demonstrating his ability in this aspect of the game.
• Onside Kick Recovery: During his time at UNC, Hollins recorded a fumble recovery on an onside kick, showcasing his awareness and ability to make plays in critical situations. He also had a fumble recovery on special teams during the 2024 NFL season.

Hollins views his special teams contributions as a crucial part of his sustained NFL career, having played this role since his college days at UNC and throughout his time in the NFL with various teams. He was named a special teams captain during his freshman year at UNC."

He recovered an onside in college? He has 28 tackles in 112 games and 7 in his last 47. That’s your argument?
Last year he played 22% of special teams snaps, the year McDaniel was his coach he played 14% of them. How much of that was the kick return unit where most of the time he watched touchbacks? Probably most.

If he is on the active roster he will okay a bit on special teams. He is not a special teams star.
If we want a special teams star we will keep another db or lb not an aging WR who could play special teams.

Hollins makes or doesn’t make he team as a WR. If he makes the team a c is active he’ll get on a st unit or 2. He will not be a gunner, key special teams guy on all units, etc, that is not who he is.

He best attributes are being a good blocker and big target.


Let’s stop the misconception that he is so good on special teams it earns him a roster spot. He can play special teams, but not any better than whoever else would be out there if he is cut.

 

[TommyD4207]

Guess we are going with Seven WR's Diggs - Pop - Boutte - Williams - Hollins... Baker/Chism.

Your WRs in bold are the ones making the team. Polk maybe IR. Everyone's binky Braxton Berrios Tre Nixon Bam Childress TJ Moe Efton Chism will maybe make the practice squad.

 

[Pape]

The Bills have been in cap jail for two years now.

thats why he got a one year 2.7m dollar deal from them ... the second year of his bills deal was never going to get paid out...

 

[rkarp1]

Hollins has ZERO guaranteed money in 2026. Everything but incentives is guaranteed for 2025.

Hollins sign bonus will be pro rated over the 2 years, so while he has zero guaranteed money in 2026, he does have a cap charge even if cut.

 

[Pape]

dude had 31 rcpts last season and 25 went for first downs and 5 for td's.
his contract is fully guaranteed for $3.5m
he is numerous incentives built into his cap number as likely to be earned.
Pats can walk on him after 1 season with a minimal amount of dead money

thats hardly "royalty" treatment or dollars
he is a big target, that makes tough catches
will change the culture on the field and the locker room
more than likely a one and done player

its not the money... its the spin that everyone keeps laying down... He's a receiver who can play special teams... he can block too... did i tell you he can play special teams and that he can block?! - that is the white glove treatment...

pretending that he's this otherworldly talent who will elevate everyone in the receiver room, and at the same time saying he's one and done...

we have other options that have a better upside than a one and done player...

 

[Ring 6]

I'm fine with not counting Hollins as a WR and keeping 5 plus him.

As Andy said, the WR's that will get almost all the reps are Diggs, Douglas, Boutte, and Williams. These are our FOUR. BTW, the 4th WR hasn't caught more 2 receptions a game in the past 10 years. We NEED 3 plus a backup.
================
So, OK, let's keep a developmental WR as our 6th. I just don't think that any of Chism, Polk or Baker will be the first #4 or #5 WR to average more than 2 receptions a game in over 10 years.

Do you really think we keep “developmental WRs” as you call them so that we can take playing time away from the top 3 WRs?
They are depth in the event of injury and as you said developmental.
Do you think Hollins is going to be the first in 10 years?

Hollins makes the teams if they value his blocking and if so he will see a decent amount of playing tim. I don’t see it. . Probably he only makes the team if Williams is struggling and not ready to be WR4.
His time in Vegas probably doesn’t help him, his production sucked for a guy playing 94% of the snaps and he only played 94% of the snaps because they had no one else.

 

[Steve102]

Hollins had 690 yards on 57 catches while with JMcD in Vegas in 2022. His pedestrian 378 yards and 31 catches would have put him 3rd on the WR stat list last year. He's not going to wow you athletically and make people get out of their wheelchairs with 1 catch for 12 yards like the unbelievably talented PoS's that are leftover from this roster. He's going to block for Henderson's wheel routes or Pop's crossers. He's going to take the head of some safety when Diggs is running free. He's a tone setter, locker room culture guy. He's not a developmental WR, there's two of those asshats already here. He's making this roster. Yes, one and done.

I can't believe I am defending this chucklehead over a dope like Baker or a non-factor like Polk. This guy is the line in the sand ? The hill I'll die on?

 

[Ring 6]

Developmental - its your descriptive. its not about this year, it is about next year or the year after.

Jakobi Meyers, an udfa, was the last "developmental wr" to succeed, so it hasn't been a decade since its happened here...

and you will never know if Chism, Polk, Baker, etc can develop into a decent player if you throw them on the trash heap in favor of a JAG you want to keep because he can play special teams...

One a decade is probably better than average

 

[TommyD4207]

its not the money... its the spin that everyone keeps laying down... He's a receiver who can play special teams... he can block too... did i tell you he can play special teams and that he can block?! - that is the white glove treatment...

pretending that he's this otherworldly talent who will elevate everyone in the receiver room, and at the same time saying he's one and done...

we have other options that have a better upside than a one and done player...

Who? Polk? Baker? Guys who showed nothing or couldn't get on the field to show nothing? Come on, man, he's here as a 4th WR who plays ST and blocks in the run game and a vet on a team that needs good vets.

 

[TommyD4207]

Hollins had 690 yards on 57 catches while with JMcD in Vegas in 2022. His pedestrian 378 yards and 31 catches would have put him 3rd on the WR stat list last year. He's not going to wow you athletically and make people get out of their wheelchairs with 1 catch for 12 yards like the unbelievably talented PoS's that are leftover from this roster. He's going to block for Henderson's wheel routes or Pop's crossers. He's going to take the head of some safety when Diggs is running free. He's a tone setter, locker room culture guy. He's not a developmental WR, there's two of those asshats already here. He's making this roster. Yes, one and done.

I can't believe I am defending this chucklehead over a dope like Baker or a non-factor like Polk. This guy is the line in the sand ? The hill I'll die on?

This is like when I had to defend Tony Eason being better than Mac Jones.

 

[rkarp1]

its not the money... its the spin that everyone keeps laying down... He's a receiver who can play special teams... he can block too... did i tell you he can play special teams and that he can block?! - that is the white glove treatment...

pretending that he's this otherworldly talent who will elevate everyone in the receiver room, and at the same time saying he's one and done...

we have other options that have a better upside than a one and done player...

I didn't mention ST play or blocking.
I did mention 25 1st downs. 5 td's. culture changer

his contract also is not going to get him a roster spot. his contract is not treating him like royalty. he is most likely a 1 and done for $3.5m....

 

[Ring 6]

Hollins had 690 yards on 57 catches while with JMcD in Vegas in 2022. His pedestrian 378 yards and 31 catches would have put him 3rd on the WR stat list last year. He's not going to wow you athletically and make people get out of their wheelchairs with 1 catch for 12 yards like the unbelievably talented PoS's that are leftover from this roster. He's going to block for Henderson's wheel routes or Pop's crossers. He's going to take the head of some safety when Diggs is running free. He's a tone setter, locker room culture guy. He's not a developmental WR, there's two of those asshats already here. He's making this roster. Yes, one and done.

I can't believe I am defending this chucklehead over a dope like Baker or a non-factor like Polk. This guy is the line in the sand ? The hill I'll die on?

He had 57/690 because he played 94% of the snaps. That stinks.
Would you want our 3rd best Wr from last year?

When he as signed we didn’t have Diggs, we didn’t have Williams. We had nothing. Sign a solid pro who can block in case your other moves don’t work out. The others seem to have worked out.

 

[Steve102]

This is like when I had to defend Tony Eason being better than Mac Jones.

I mean....


The guy is a football player. Hardnosed Vrabel type, yet I have to defend this guy because we want Baker and his 12 freakin' yards??? How about we play tough football and stop talking about some princess with potential because he has good measurables? Has it translated to the field? No?

 

[Pape]

You read better than this.

1) We have not had 4 WR's all with over 32 catches for 10 years.

2) Do you disagree? BTW, I think this year may indeed be the year, with both Boutte and Williams getting over 32 catches.

3) I support keeping one of Baker, Polk or Chism on the 53. I do NOT expect any of them to get over 32 catches. Absent 2 injuries I wouldn't expect any of them to be active.

4) I see the top 9 receivers as
Diggs
Henry
Douglas
Henderson
Boutte
Williams
Hooper
Gibson or Stevenson
Hollins

that is not what you said in your original post... You said, and I quote

I just don't think that any of Chism, Polk or Baker will be the first #4 or #5 WR to average more than 2 receptions a game in over 10 years.

your argument that was shut down in seconds.

If you want to have a discussion about the quality of the receiving corp over the last decade, we can, but that is not this discussion. Don't move the goal posts and then tell me I'm wrong.

 

[TommyD4207]

He had 57/690 because he played 94% of the snaps. That stinks.
Would you want our 3rd best Wr from last year?

When he as signed we didn’t have Diggs, we didn’t have Williams. We had nothing. Sign a solid pro who can block in case your other moves don’t work out. The others seem to have worked out.

Who?
Because that's exactly who Mack Hollins is.

 

[Pape]

I didn't mention ST play or blocking.
I did mention 25 1st downs. 5 td's. culture changer

his contract also is not going to get him a roster spot. his contract is not treating him like royalty. he is most likely a 1 and done for $3.5m....

The special teams and blocking is the narrative surrounding Hollins.

If he is a culture changer, he wouldn't be on his 6th team in 8 years. He's the Brian Hoyer of wide receivers.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This is like when I had to defend Tony Eason being better than Mac Jones.

Eason was light years better then Mac.

Whomever was arguing that never saw Eason from 1983-1986

 

[TommyD4207]

By the way, you tell me we traded for Terry McLaurin, I'll drive Mack Hollins to TF Green personally.