Josh Allen says overlooked veteran is bringing an 'edge' to Bills' receiving corps

Josh Allen thinks that this offseason addition is setting the standard within the Buffalo Bills receiving corps.

Sep 17, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mack Hollins (18) reacts after a catch against the Green Bay Packers in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The onboarding of Mack Hollins went largely unnoticed on the rapidly spinning carousel that was the Buffalo Bills’ receiving corps in the 2024 offseason.

The team allowed significant aerial contributor Gabriel Davis to part as a free agent before trading four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, offsetting their departures with the additions of former second-round draft pick Curtis Samuel and rookie Keon Coleman—naturally, the signing of a 30-year-old journeyman went a bit under-discussed.

And though the signing didn’t spark much fanfare when it was announced in mid-March, it’s one that’s already paying dividends within Buffalo’s suddenly young and inexperienced wide receivers room. Quarterback Josh Allen spoke to reporters about the receiving corps after Tuesday’s OTA practice, specifically identifying Hollins as a player who’s setting the standard for the unit and helping young players adjust. 

Related: Josh Allen says Bills rookie Keon Coleman has 'the tools necessary' to be a great WR

“Every day is a chance to learn and grow, and we’re going into it with that mindset,” Allen said. “I appreciate the guys for how hard they’re working and the type of presence that’s in there, most notably Mack Hollins, the guy that’s pushing guys right now. He’s talking good, he’s talking bad too. He’s very realistic and I appreciate the edge that he’s been bringing to that room right now, and how hard he’s been pushing these guys and how well these other guys have been responding.”

Hollins has never been a consistent offensive producer throughout his career; the former fourth-round draft pick has only supplanted 300 receiving yards in a single season once, a 2021 campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders in which he caught 57 passes for 690 yards and four touchdowns. He’s caught a total of 131 passes for 1,691 yards and 10 touchdowns throughout his six professional seasons.

Though the offensive production hasn’t necessarily been there for Hollins, he has been a prominent special teams contributor throughout the majority of his NFL tenure, logging over 1,000 career special teams snaps, per PFF. He’s tallied 19 tackles on special teams throughout his career, per the outlet. 

He projects as a core special teamer and situational receiver/red zone threat for the Bills. His on-field impact will be significant; it’s nice to see that he’s already making a similar impact within the receiving corps itself.