FOXBOROUGH – Mack Hollins has never been one to sit still. Whether he's catching passes, mentoring teammates or competing in locker room chess matches, the veteran wide receiver brings a relentless energy to everything he does. That mindset has served him well during his return to the training camp practice fields, as he's quietly positioned himself to be a significant contributor in the Patriots offense.

"I trained my whole life to play football, not to watch it," Hollins said, after being cleared from PUP last Thursday and taking part in his first padded practice on Monday. "So to be back out with the guys, it's just a different energy. Even though I'm two feet different from outside the line to inside the line, it's a whole different perspective. Never take it for granted."

Hollins was unable to participate during the spring but remained a constant presence on the field and around the building, taking mental reps and staying engaged with the receiver group. He credits a lesson from early in his career for keeping him locked in.

"When I was a young player, a coach told me the brain doesn't know the difference between a mental rep and a physical rep," Hollins said. "So if I wanted to be ready for this day, then I had to be ready all the other days."

That preparation included extra meetings, studying with teammates and even volunteering to play quarterback while going through the playbook to help others while reinforcing his own understanding of the offense.

"I'd say, 'I'll be the quarterback so you can get better,'" Hollins said. "Yeah, you're getting better, but also I'm kind of stealing a couple reps for me to get better too."

Head coach Mike Vrabel took notice of Hollins' commitment even while sidelined.

"Spent a lot of time here in the offseason, locked in, engaged," Vrabel said. "Rare for a player to be able to get that much information and not practice. That's hard. That's hard just even thinking back when I was in those opportunities to be able to do that and still understand the details and not practicing. So, locked in, ready to go, excited to see him get out there and practice."

Hollins' familiarity with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has helped ease his transition. The two worked together in Las Vegas in 2022, when Hollins posted career highs with 57 catches for 690 yards and four touchdowns.

"Obviously things aren't exactly the same as they were when we were in Vegas together, but similar offense," Hollins said. "I remember when Josh mentioned this and how to run this route, and now he's fine-tuned it even more. So I have a little foundation, but now let me really get into the building of what this route is supposed to be."

At 6-foot-4, Hollins brings valuable length and experience to a receiver room that's been one of the bright spots of camp. He and Stefon Diggs have emerged as veteran leaders, helping elevate younger players like Pop Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, both of whom have had strong summers.

"I think more than any time else in my career, the entire group has had a good camp," Hollins said. "Competing, making sure they know what to do, making plays when it comes their way. A lot of times in my career, you've got three guys that are like, 'Oh, there's the guys,' and everybody else is kind of bodies along the way. That's not the thing here. Everybody better come prepared every single morning."

Douglas has continued to build on his promising 66-catch second season, while Boutte has continued to flash strong hands and big-play potential. Javon Baker has also come on strong in recent practices, including three straight touchdown grabs in 7-on-7 drills from Josh Dobbs on Monday.

As the Patriots' offense begins to take shape, Hollins appears to be part of a core group that includes Diggs, Douglas, Boutte, and rookie Kyle Williams. Baker and Ja'Lynn Polk are pushing for reps as well, but Hollins' versatility and leadership could make him a key piece atop the rotation.

"You're either better or worse every day," Hollins said. "My goal was to get better every day, so hopefully it translates to the field."

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