The New England Patriots activated wide receiver Mack Hollins from injured reserve on Nov. 7, Boston.com reported, one day before the team hosts the Green Bay Packers in Week 9. Hollins missed the minimum four games required by injured-reserve rules and is listed as questionable on the injury report.
The move restores a nine-year NFL veteran to a receiving corps that injuries have thinned. Hollins caught 15 passes for 309 yards on 20 targets over his first four games of the season before a calf injury sent him to injured reserve.
New England placed Hollins on injured reserve on Oct. 10, and he returned to practice on Wednesday. The Patriots and Packers both enter Sunday’s game at Gillette Stadium at 5-3.
Key Takeaways
- New England activated Hollins from injured reserve on Nov. 7, a day before facing Green Bay.
- Hollins had 15 receptions for 309 yards on 20 targets through four games before the calf injury.
- A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs are also on injured reserve, leaving Efton Chism, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams in larger roles.
- Hollins and tight end Hunter Henry are both listed as questionable for Week 9.
A calf injury that cost Hollins four games
Boston.com reported that Hollins sustained the calf injury in Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills. The injury appeared to be non-contact. He was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 10; A.J. Brown also went on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain.
A player placed on injured reserve must sit out at least four games, a minimum Hollins has now satisfied.
What Hollins gave the passing game before the injury
His 15 catches on 20 targets worked out to 20.6 yards per reception. He did not record a touchdown in those four games. Boston.com reported that his reliability and his résumé were much needed in a young receiver room that had lost its top option.
That production is the reason the activation matters beyond the roster mechanics.
Why the Patriots activate Mack Hollins into a reshaped receiver room
Since Hollins went down, Efton Chism, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams have taken on significantly larger roles. The three players have eight combined seasons of NFL experience; Hollins has nine on his own.
Romeo Doubs was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 19. That leaves the depth chart thinner than it was when Hollins was first hurt, making his activation a straightforward need.
Drake Maye on Hollins: ‘easy to throw to’
Maye spoke about Hollins earlier in the week, before the activation was official. Both players attended the University of North Carolina.
“I think anytime that you get a guy like Mack, who is a veteran in this league, a classic Tar Heel who does things the right way, he’s smart and he’s easy to throw to,” Maye said on Wednesday. “He does a lot of things the right way. It’s comforting definitely having No. 13 out there.”
Maye also praised Hollins’ demeanor, which he said matters across a long season. “He just brings energy. I think the guys feed off it, and it’s a good reminder for me,” Maye said. “We play a really serious game with pressure. They ask a lot out of us, week in and week out in this sport, in this league. It’s a reminder to also have fun with the guys around.”
Maye framed Hollins as a model for younger players in the room. “I think he’s a constant reminder for these young guys to take it seriously, but don’t take it too harshly, and realize that we’re playing a kids game and just happen to be at the highest level,” he said. “So, just go out there and be yourself. I think that’s what Mack Hollins is.”
Maye has leaned on Henry as what he called a “security blanket,” and Hollins returns as another veteran target as Drake Maye’s growth in Year Three continues.
Green Bay’s defense without Micah Parsons
Boston.com reported that the Packers will be without All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons and still field one of the top defensive units in the league. That combination puts pressure on New England’s rebuilt receiver group to create separation quickly.
Hollins is listed as questionable, as is Henry. Boston.com noted that activating Hollins from injured reserve all but guarantees he will be available at kickoff, a distinction that separates a game-day designation from an unavailable player.
Green Bay arrives at 5-3, the same record as New England. A win Sunday would give the Patriots a sixth victory midway through the season, with the Packers’ shorthanded pass rush and Hollins’s availability both part of the equation.
