The Green Bay Packers made some roster moves on Tuesday, and releasing wide receiver Mecole Hardman from the practice squad was among them. Hardman signed with the Packers in the offseason as potential wide receiver depth, but, for the most part, Packers fans didn't anticipate him making the team.
Hardman had a rough go of it in the preseason, dropping a pass, mistakenly fielding a punt at the 5-yard line, and then fumbling the football. All of that happened in one game, too, making things even worse for him. As expected, Hardman did not make the 53-man roster.
The veteran did land on Green Bay's practice squad initially, but that journey is seemingly over with his release. While Hardman's Packers career is likely over, his NFL career might not be. In fact, if anyone is going to sign the recently released receiver, it'd probably be the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom Hardman has won three Super Bowls.
Mecole Hardman signing with the Chiefs feels like the next step for recently cut WR
Hardman was drafted by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft as someone they were hoping could fill in for Tyreek Hill. That never came to be, as Hardman was just okay in Kansas City, but hey, the guy won three Super Bowl titles with the franchise that drafted him and even caught the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime of the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
It wouldn't even be the first time that Hardman has left for another team and then rejoined the Chiefs, either. Hardman originally signed with the Jets in the 2023 offseason, underwhelmed with them, and then was traded back to KC, where he helped the Chiefs win a Super Bowl a few months later.
Hardman left Kansas City this past spring, hoping to make something happen in Green Bay, but that didn't pan out for him. At this point, the Chiefs are familiar with him just as he's familiar with their offensive scheme. Plus, it's not like KC couldn't use help on offense, as that side of the ball has been riding the struggle bus through three games this season.
Hardman is what he is at this point, but that means something a whole lot different to the Chiefs than it does for the Packers or any of the other teams in the NFL. It feels like a Hardman/Chiefs reunion is just waiting to happen, and when it does, no one will be surprised about it.