This offseason, the Green Bay Packers added a few veterans who had to stand out if they wanted to make the roster. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman and linebacker Isaiah Simmons were those players. Unfortunately, it seems that neither player was able to secure a roster spot, but thankfully, that didn't hurt the Packers' checkbooks.
According to Rob Demovsky, Hardman received a signing bonus of $150k while Simmons received a signing bonus of $167.5k. Green Bay's signing each player to low-risk deals that could have yielded high reward was a smart decision. Though it didn't work out, these types of deals are always a smart choice to make.
The Packers took fliers on a couple of veterans Mecole Hardman and Isaiah Simmons this spring. Neither made the 53, but it cost them next to nothing.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 26, 2025
Hardman, the former SB champ with KC, got just a $150K signing bonus. Simmons, the fromer first-round pick, got only $167,500.
Packer Release WR Mecole Hardman and LB Isaiah Simmons
Hardman and Simmons had very different paths in order to try and make Green Bay's roster. For Simmons, all he needed to do for prove he could be a consistent difference maker. Though his natural athleticism carried him to some production, he did not show that he could be a consistent player.
This preseason, the 27-year-old recorded 17 tackles while missing four tackles and allowing 86.7% of passes to be caught against him. Those last two stats are flaws that have plagued Simmons throughout his career and are the reason many consider him a draft bust.
Hardman, on the other hand, entered a crowded receiver room, meaning the easiest way to a roster spot for him was through the return game. To the dismay of many Packers fans, Hardman didn't have a great preseason in that department
In their very first preseason game, the 27-year-old muffed a punt and dropped a key pass. Despite not making any other mistakes in the other two games, Hardman provided himself with a steep hill to climb after game one.
The Packers had 12 other receivers vying for a roster spot, so just one bad performance was all it took to remove Hardman from contention for the spot. With that being said, given Green Bay spent little money on these two players, there's no harm and no foul in letting them go.