The Patriots are not interested in moving Mack Hollins, even with the receiver room suddenly looking thinner after the team dealt Kayshon Boutte to the Texans before the season.
That decision has only drawn more attention after A.J. Brown went down with a high-ankle sprain in the opener, leaving New England short on a deep threat and, in hindsight, short on the kind of backup Boutte could have provided.
On 98.5 The Sports Hub, NFL insider Albert Breer said a “respected” contender had been checking on Hollins and got nowhere. New England turned down the inquiry, even though Boutte was the player the Patriots were more willing to discuss.
“I had a team calling me asking if the Patriots would trade Hollins. This was about four or five weeks ago,” Breer said.
“I brought up Boutte, and they were like, ‘No, we’d rather have Mack Hollins’. That team was a contender, and you’d respect them if you knew who it was.
And the Patriots didn’t want to trade him.”
The logic, as Mike Vrabel had already noted and Breer echoed, is tied to more than just receiver production. Hollins gives the Patriots more special teams flexibility, while still filling a similar role to Boutte.
That could matter even more in the weeks ahead with Brown sidelined. Hollins already logged a solid workload in Week 1, and Romeo Doubs did not deliver the kind of debut he wanted.
For now, it looks like Doubs, Hollins and DeMario Douglas will handle most of the receiver snaps. That leaves New England hoping its preference for Hollins over Boutte pays off not only on special teams, but on offense too.
The Patriots will try to rebound from their season-opening loss next Sunday afternoon against the Steelers.
In Other News...
Patriots Suddenly Have A Trade Watch Worth Following On Defense
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What makes the situation interesting is that Thibodeaux is not just a theoretical fit, but a player who could plausibly be had for a mid-round pick if the Giants decide his path there has changed. For the Patriots, that is the kind of cost that can turn a question mark into a real conversation, especially when a defense trying to settle itself has a chance to add talent without having to pay premium draft capital. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Fans Just Got A Painful Reminder About Isaiah Likely
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In his debut, Likely looked every bit like the player New England had its eye on, finishing with eight catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns. For the Patriots, it was a reminder of what might have been at a position where rookie Eli Raridon is still developing, and why the teams long-term answer at tight end remains a conversation worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Kayshon Boutte Question They Didn't Want
Kayshon Bouttes move out of New England already has an interesting early wrinkle, and it comes at a moment when the Patriots are dealing with a hole they would rather not have. Boutte was traded to Houston before the 2026 season, and his first game in a Texans uniform was quiet, with one catch on two targets for 21 yards, but his departure still matters because the Patriots are suddenly thinner at receiver and looking for answers while A.J. Brown is expected to miss at least four games with a high ankle sprain.
Bouttes role in Houston is still being sorted out, and that makes the trade feel unfinished from New Englands perspective. The Patriots did not just lose a body at the position, they lost a player whose next step was supposed to help clarify whether he could be part of their long-term answer, and now the timing of Browns injury only sharpens the question of what the team gave up and how it plans to cover the gap. [Read more 🡒]