The Green Bay Packers need a speedy wideout to add to their receiver room.
On Tuesday night, the Packers took a flyer on former Kansas City Chiefs wideout/return man Mecole Hardman.
Green Bay agreed to a one-year deal with Hardman, who spent the majority of his first six NFL seasons with Kansas City.
ESPN was first to report the signing.
Green Bay speedster Christian Watson suffered a torn right ACL in Week 18 last year and is expected to miss a large portion of the 2025 campaign.
Is Hardman the answer?
It’s doubtful, but the Packers could find a role for him.
The 5-foot-10, 187-pound Hardman was a second-round pick by the Chiefs in 2019. Hardman, who played collegiately at Georgia, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.
Hardman has 178 receptions for 2,302 yards and 16 touchdowns during his first six NFL seasons. Hardman’s best year as a wideout came in 2021, when he caught 59 passes for 693 yards and two touchdowns.
He’s also averaged 23.8 yards per kick return and 9.2 yards per punt return.
Hardman was part of three Super Bowl winning teams in Kansas City. He was also named to the PFWA all-Rookie team in 2019.
Hardman signed with the New York Jets in free agency in March, 2023. But after Hardman lost his job that season, the Jets traded him back to Kansas City for a seventh round pick.
Hardman played in 12 games for the Chiefs in 2024, but managed just 12 receptions for 90 yards (7.5).
Hardman joins a mediocre wide receiver group of Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton and Malik Heath.