Packers sign Super Bowl champion from the Chiefs to add speed to their WR room, and the move will leave the Bears furious
The Green Bay Packers finally addressed the wide receiver position in free agency. On Tuesday, eight days after their two previous external additions, the Packers are signing former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who has three Super Bowl rings in his career. ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler first reported the signing. Why the […]
The Green Bay Packers finally addressed the wide receiver position in free agency. On Tuesday, eight days after their two previous external additions, the Packers are signing former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who has three Super Bowl rings in his career. ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler first reported the signing.
Why the Packers made the move
By adding a wide receiver, the Packers try to address a position that was underwhelming in 2024. Even though Hardman has had underwhelming production over the last few seasons, the former second-round pick adds an element of speed that the offense needs.
The roster has several talented young pieces, but inconsistency was the main reason why the team wasn't able to replicate the previous year's performance down the stretch.
Over the last two years, former second-round pick Jayden Reed has been the leading receiver on the Packers. Beyond him, the room has Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath, Bo Melton, Julian Hicks, Cornelius Johnson, and Tulu Griffin. The other piece of the puzzle is Christian Watson, who's entering the final year of his rookie deal but is expected to miss the start of the season recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in Week 18—making the Hardman signing even more impactful.
Performance
Hardman's best season was in 2021, when he had 59 receptions for 693 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, he had only 90 yards in 12 games.
The wide receiver had played four seasons on the Chiefs when he signed a free agent contract with the New York Jets in 2023. Released during the season, Hardman returned to Kansas City and caught the Super Bowl-winning touchdown in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers. Throughout his NFL career, he has had a solid 1.61 yards per route run. He has a fairly alignment split between the boundary and the slot, and can also add a horizontal element to Matt LaFleur's offense.
Why the Chiefs are letting him walk
A former 2019 NFL draft pick by way of Georgia, Hardman hasn’t been able to recapture from his first three seasons in the league. That is, outside of catching the game-winning touchdown and becoming a hero in Super Bowl LVIII. This past season, Hardman recorded 12 receptions for 90 yards, five carries for 62 yards, and a touchdown despite opportunity with injuries to Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice.
He was the team's primary return specialist while healthy during the first 12 games of this season. The scrimmage yardage and general production are essentially the lowest marks of his NFL career to date. Injuries have really stifled Hardman lately, as he's landed on injured reserve in his last three seasons in the NFL. He's a good complementary piece when healthy, but the Packers will probably be disappointed if they are banking on anything more than that.
The Bears might not like it
While Mecole Hardman’s addition may be impactful while Christian Watson is out, it will also make the Chicago Bears furious. The receiver had visited the Bears earlier this week, and head coach Ben Johnson seemed excited with the potential to have him on the roster.
Ultimately, though, Mecole Hardman will add much-needed experience to a young wide receiver room in Green Bay.
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