Mack Hollins left the New England Patriots' Week 4 victory against the Buffalo Bills due to a non-contact calf injury, and on Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel said he doesn't "know if he'll be able to practice here for a couple days."
Obviously, we're still about a week away from New England's Week 5 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders (who are somehow 3-1, by the way), and a lot can happen, but it doesn't sound too promising that Hollins will be able to suit up for this game. It was a non-contact injury, it doesn't sound like he'll be available to practice until maybe later in the week, and with A.J. Brown still sidelined for at least one more week, it wouldn't make any sense for the Patriots to risk anything.
If Hollins is unable to go against the Raiders, then so be it. But it also would make things much more difficult for Drake Maye and the Patriots, who seemingly found their rhythm in Week 4.
Mack Hollins' injury may put the Patriots' offense in a tough spot
Hollins has far and away been Maye's best and most dependable target this season, especially in Brown's absence.
Over four weeks this season, the 33-year-old has recorded 15 receptions on 20 targets for 203 yards, and he has been a clutch security blanket for Maye so far. Also, while he's not a deep threat like Brown is, Hollins has been able to stretch the field a bit. Potentially being without him for a game is going to make things even more difficult for the Patriots' already depleted offense.
It's also not like there is a clear-cut replacement for him right now. Romeo Doubs had a fantastic Week 4 performance (six receptions, 58 yards, and two touchdowns), but he's already taking on a bigger workload without Brown. And Efton Chism III broke out and caught the game-winning touchdown, but is he going to be a serious threat when he has to go up against better cornerbacks? Probably not.
On top of that, there has already been a window for other guys like DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams to shine with Brown on the shelf, and they haven't taken advantage of that. What makes me think that's going to change without Hollins?
It's obviously not like maybe being without Hollins is going to make or break New England's offense, but he is at least someone who has been a crucial target for Maye so far. Either way, his status is going to be worth monitoring ahead of Sunday's game, and for the sake of the Patriots' offense building off their momentum, the team better hope he can suit up in Week 5.
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