Some things in life are inevitable. Aaron Rodgers to Jordy Nelson. Aaron Jones against the Dallas Cowboys. The Chicago Bears and football-less Januarys.
We can add another to the list: Mecole Hardman finding a way back to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Green Bay's Summer of Hardman fell short of even the fans' lowest expectations, with the veteran wide receiver missing the 53-man roster before surprisingly re-signing to the practice squad. The Packers may have plans for Hardman in their season opener, especially given their injuries at the position, but don't get used to it. Hardman may soon receive a phone call from Patrick Mahomes.
Chiefs' latest injury crisis points toward Mecole Hardman reunion (and there's little the Packers can do)
Kansas City's wide receiver woes hit crisis levels in its season opener in Brazil, with Xavier Worthy on the receiving end of some friendly fire from Travis Kelce. Worthy left the game with a shoulder injury and wouldn't return.
Hardman returning to the Chiefs feels inevitable at this point. As he's on the Packers' practice squad, there's currently nothing stopping Kansas City from signing him.
The Packers have two short-term options. They could promote him to the gameday roster for Week 1, or they could outright offer him a spot on the 53-man roster. But Hardman would have to accept, and he may prefer a third run with the Chiefs if GM Brett Veach comes calling.
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Following the Worthy injury, the Chiefs pushed forward with Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Hollywood Brown, but they required another Mahomes miracle to keep the offense humming.
Rookie Jalen Royals remains sidelined due to injury, while Rashee Rice is suspended for the opening six games. The Chiefs may soon hit the market for receiver help, and Hardman is the obvious choice.
Some players suit one team better than others. James Jones never recaptured the same magic away from Green Bay. Nor did Randall Cobb. Hardman, too, struggled during his brief stint with the New York Jets, leading to a Chiefs reunion via trade. It hasn't gone much better for the veteran in Green Bay, making another run in Kansas City a realistic scenario.
Hardman's days in Green Bay may be numbered, despite the Packers having their own wide receiver injury concerns — Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams are questionable for Week 1. Christian Watson, meanwhile, is on the PUP list.
Hardman could provide some short-term cover, but it may not go much further than Sunday's game against Detroit. A reunion with Kansas City feels inevitable.