Mack Hollins in the Locker Room

[Beck Water]

8 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

WR is too valuable a position to keep 1 of 6 roster spots for just special teams when the top of the depth chart is well below average. Andre Roberts was our special teams ace when we had three legit starters above him on the depth chart. And we are an injury away from Mack Hollins playing real snaps in a playoff game like Trent Sherfield did last year.

 

That is your opinion, but historically, it has not been Beane's opinion.  And it's not "just for ST", it's for a guy who plays ST but is believed to be a capable WR backup.

 

Since Hollins was able to contribute 57 receptions on 690 yds when given the opportunity to play, "proven capable WR backup" would seem like an appropriate descriptor, No?  

I mean, who do you think should have been sitting on the WR bench all season behind Diggs, Davis, Harty, and Shakir?  Beane has always said, on the Bills, the #5 (and #6 if they keep one) WR has to play ST.

 

The problem last season wasn't that Sherfield was on the roster as a ST and backup WR, it's that halfway through the season Diggs stopped contributing like a #1 WR and Harty never contributed commensurate with the #4/gadget role.

Edited May 24 by Beck Water

[billsfan89]

46 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

I think Claypool, MVS, Hollins, and even Coleman to certain extent, all get side-eyed by a certain segment of the mafia because of Diggs's departure.  "What?  This guy is supposed to replace Diggs?"  

 

I don't expect any of them to replace Diggs.  I do hope they play up to their potential and become important role players.  

They are all going to replace Diggs by committee so to speak. There’s no one immediate replacement for Diggs so to speak. 

[Teddy KGB]

You guys think birds are real ?  

[hondo in seattle]

9 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

They are all going to replace Diggs by committee so to speak. There’s no one immediate replacement for Diggs so to speak. 

 

I read somewhere that we have the 5th cheapest WR room in the NFL.  I have to admit, that's concerning.  When you have a great QB, wouldn't you want to give him great folks to throw to?   

 

But a bunch of these guys have upside.   And I think there's enough talent here that Brady - if he's good at his job - can scheme guys open.  

[boyst]

8 hours ago, BillsfaninSB said:

I think there is some conspiracy group that believes birds are mechanical spies invading our privacy, watching us like big brother, or something.   I wonder if that is it. 
 

 

Yes. It's a joke or originated as a joke. Same with clouds aren't real. 

 

Birds are gov surveillance agents that recharge by sitting on power lines.

[SoonerBillsFan]

10 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

Mack Hollins hasn't really gotten a lot of buzz around here. Many have been dismissive of him, and few people posting on here have shown any level of enthusiasm for the acquisition. Personally, I thought he was a solid pickup as a situational player, and probable replacement for Siran Neal on ST. Others expressed everything from confusion, to anger over his signing. The emojis given on the first post of the thread that announced his signing back in March offer a pretty good cross-section of the attitudes surrounding him on this forum: (1)👍, (2)🤮, (2)🙄, (3)😢, (2)😝, (1)🍺

 

But since OTAs have started, I've been struck by how much he has been talked about-- not by Bills fans (who would much rather debate the potential of Claypool and/or MVS), but by Brandon Beane, and especially Josh Allen. Josh has brought him up at least a couple times now during a press conference, and notably in the link below on NFL's Insiders, saying that he "has been such a great addition so far to that room with his mentality, his mindset is infectious to others."

 

Beane has made similar comments in response to questions that were not specifically about Hollins. In a season in which Beane has felt it necessary to add leaders to the team (with the departure of so many vets), has Hollins established himself as a near lock for the 53?

 

 

My 6 WR's for the 53 man roster are...

Coleman

Shakir 

Samuel

Hollins

Claypool

MVS

[rusty shackleford]

3 minutes ago, boyst said:

Yes. It's a joke or originated as a joke. Same with clouds aren't real. 

 

Birds are gov surveillance agents that recharge by sitting on power lines.

JFK was also assassinated by the CIA because he refused to go along with the plan.

[Logic]

Aside from all the little things he'll do ON the field throughout the season (special teams contributions, blocking, the rare big catch in a big moment that he'll pitch in), I think Hollins will make an even bigger impact OFF the field.

The truth of the matter is that in the NFL, it's really beneficial to your team to have leaders in the locker room, to have "glue guys". Beane said that even this early into his tenure, you can just tell that Hollins is a glue guy. Setting the tone with his work ethic, his vocal leadership, his selflessness, etc. You need guys like that.

So much leadership walked out the door with Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, and Mitch Morse. And we can all say what we want about Diggs, and certainly he was a mixed bag, but he WAS a leader in the Bills locker room during his time here. He was constantly going up and down the sideline, getting guys hyped.

By my count, as far as leadership and great locker room guys go, the Bills have brought in the following:

Mack Hollins
DeWayne Carter

Sed Van Pran
Ray Davis

Hollins, obviously, is the only vet. It seems like there's a void of leadership on offense (aside from Josh Allen), so he has the chance to step up and fill a big role there. Beyond him, Carter and Van Pran were both leaders and captains in college, and I'd bet they'll be setting the tone on their respective lines in no time. Davis just seems like a grown man. Not like a rookie or a youngster, but like someone who's ready to go be a killer NOW.

And really, beyond all of it, I expect Josh Allen to become THE leader on this team, starting this year. He always has been, to SOME degree, but I think he deferred to Stef in a big way and let him be the loudest alpha in the room. Now that Stef's gone, it's 100% Josh's show. 


 

Edited May 24 by Logic

[Brand J]

51 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

https://www.outkick.com/sports/nfl-draft-tight-end-tip-reiman-believe-birds-combine

 

Tip Reiman.

 

The bird thing was started as a parody of ridiculous conspiracy theories.  Much to the chagrin of its originator, it took off and is treated seriously by some.  

They include the TX Tech player with his wild conspiracy theory. He doesn’t believe in outer space or other planets. It’s the twilight zone, y’all. 

[boyst]

28 minutes ago, rusty shackleford said:

JFK was also assassinated by the CIA because he refused to go along with the plan.

Hussein was going to release this information publicly so the US invaded after making up WMD's to stop him!!11!

[DrDawkinstein]

1 hour ago, Matt_In_NH said:

It is scary how manipulatable populations are!

 

Kudos to the kids for figuring it out and laughing at all the lead-addled boomers who believe anything the internet tells them. A little ray of hope for the future.

[MJS]

9 hours ago, BillsfaninSB said:

I think there is some conspiracy group that believes birds are mechanical spies invading our privacy, watching us like big brother, or something.   I wonder if that is it. 

They've never seen dead birds? They clearly aren't mechanical. But, I'm preaching to the choir, I'm sure.

[Matt_In_NH]

16 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Kudos to the kids for figuring it out and laughing at all the lead-addled boomers who believe anything the internet tells them. A little ray of hope for the future.

Yes, for these one.....Unfortunately I am not sure how different the age groups are.  There are some that get it and some that don't in all age groups....I really think its just a human condition thing.   With the coming AI revolution it is kind of scary.

[Rocky Landing]

2 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

I think Claypool, MVS, Hollins, and even Coleman to certain extent, all get side-eyed by a certain segment of the mafia because of Diggs's departure.  "What?  This guy is supposed to replace Diggs?"  

 

I don't expect any of them to replace Diggs.  I do hope they play up to their potential and become important role players.  

I generally don't agree the perspective of, "so-and-so is going to replace Diggs, so-and-so replaces Davis, so-and-so replaces Harty," etc. There are various roles on the field of play, various roles on the practice field, and various roles in the locker room. Diggs doesn't get replaced. Other players step up and fill those roles, whether they're new to the team, or not. On the field of play, the ball will be spread around differently than it was last season. Every receiver group is unique. That's the way I look at it, and I suspect that's the way the coaches look at it.

 

[Thurman#1]

6 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I’m underestimating him because he’s Mack Hollins, 31 year old career special teams player. 

 

 

Well, yes, that's underestimating him. He's never had a year where he had more STs snaps than offense. 

 

In the one year where he played most of the snaps, he put up 690 yards. 

 

Dunno how he'll do, nobody does, but he's not just an STs player, though that certainly is part of his appeal to them.

[Rocky Landing]

5 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Well, due to his low cost and versatility in ST, Hollins has always been a near lock for the 53. Only ways he doesn't make it IMO are injury or Shorter showing all world abilities while Hollins face plants.

 

I do however remember a ton of talk this time last year from Beane and especially Josh about Trent Sherfield the exact same way as they are talking about Hollins now. So I'd still temper expectations for offensive productivity.

I don't really agree with this. I do think Hollins does have a leg up on the ST role, but he's not the only one of the WR group who's qualified. He will have to compete for it.

 

But as far as last year's buzz on Sherfield, I don't think it's the same with Hollins. Allen and Beane have brought up Hollins numerous times, while answering other questions, and there's a very different tone-- it's always about leadership. I think that gives him a leg up for the 53, as well, but there's no guarantee that they're going to need those traits to carry over into the regular season if he's not solidifying his roles on the field.

[Thurman#1]

1 hour ago, Brand J said:

They include the TX Tech player with his wild conspiracy theory. He doesn’t believe in outer space or other planets. It’s the twilight zone, y’all. 

 

 

"He knows spirits—'entities,' he calls them—move through us all via the etheric body, one of the seven bodies of multidimensional consciousness. They can be good. They can be evil. They all want to experience our physical world. Most humans are not conscious of them. He is. He can consciously ignore evil spirits trying to cling to him. But he also believes this: When he refuses to let that evil spirit get what it wants in him, it can cling to someone close to him."

 

This article on Sammy Watkins:  

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2889029-what-sammy-watkins-believes

[Rocky Landing]

2 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

My 6 WR's for the 53 man roster are...

Coleman

Shakir 

Samuel

Hollins

Claypool

MVS

IDK, the combination of Coleman, Hollins, Claypool, and MVS seems awfully redundant. I think if they don't see a role for any of the other WRs in the room that offers either something unique, or a ST role, they might only go with only five WRs-- especially with two passing-threat TEs, and two passing-threat RBs. KJ Hamler is my personal dark horse candidate. He might be the fastest player in the building.

[Alphadawg7]

13 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

Mack Hollins hasn't really gotten a lot of buzz around here. Many have been dismissive of him, and few people posting on here have shown any level of enthusiasm for the acquisition. Personally, I thought he was a solid pickup as a situational player, and probable replacement for Siran Neal on ST. Others expressed everything from confusion, to anger over his signing. The emojis given on the first post of the thread that announced his signing back in March offer a pretty good cross-section of the attitudes surrounding him on this forum: (1)👍, (2)🤮, (2)🙄, (3)😢, (2)😝, (1)🍺

 

But since OTAs have started, I've been struck by how much he has been talked about-- not by Bills fans (who would much rather debate the potential of Claypool and/or MVS), but by Brandon Beane, and especially Josh Allen. Josh has brought him up at least a couple times now during a press conference, and notably in the link below on NFL's Insiders, saying that he "has been such a great addition so far to that room with his mentality, his mindset is infectious to others."

 

Beane has made similar comments in response to questions that were not specifically about Hollins. In a season in which Beane has felt it necessary to add leaders to the team (with the departure of so many vets), has Hollins established himself as a near lock for the 53?

 

 

I also liked the signing because he is not only an excellent addition to STs but he helps replace a lot of the blocking we lost with Davis because he’s an excellent on field blocker.

 

 

 

Edited May 24 by Alphadawg7

[Alphadawg7]

11 hours ago, BillsfaninSB said:

I think there is some conspiracy group that believes birds are mechanical spies invading our privacy, watching us like big brother, or something.   I wonder if that is it. 
 

 

 

Yes, and the guy who started it did a TED talk to reveal it’s a hoax he created as a social experiment to test hoaxes.  And now people STILL believe the hoax and think the government or some dark shadow government actually forced him to say that and do that TED talk.  
 

This is a very dumb age of humanity.  
 

 

 

Edited May 24 by Alphadawg7