Mack Hollins may very well be available to the Patriots in time for this week’s AFC title game. The veteran receiver has returned to practice, as noted by Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
An abdomen injury suffered in December landed Hollins on injured reserve late within the regular season. That ensured an absence of a minimum of 4 games stretching into the beginning of the playoffs. With Latest England managing to win at home within the wild-card and divisional rounds, though, a return to motion is now in play.
Hollins has played for six teams (including three within the AFC East) over the course of his profession. He landed a two-year deal in free agency last offseason to affix the Patriots, a move which has proved worthwhile. In 15 games during his first Latest England season, Hollins posted 550 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 46 catches.
Those totals fall in need of his career-best Raiders output from 2022, but they show Hollins’ importance to Latest England’s passing attack. Having the 32-year-old back within the fold in time Sunday’s game against a powerful Broncos defense could prove to be critical. Overall, the Patriots have 21 days to activate Hollins so a win this week would still leave the door open to a Super Bowl return.
Latest England has Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte – who ranked first and second in regular season receiving yards by wideouts on the team – in place. Diggs topped 1,000 yards during his debut Patriots campaign, while Boutte’s one-handed touchdown against the Texans played a key role in ensuring the team would advance to this week’s AFC championship. Receiving a secondary contribution from Hollins would after all be welcomed.
The previous fourth-rounder is one in all three players whose practice windows are currently open. The Patriots have six IR activations available with not more than two games remaining of their season.