NFL rosters turn over fast—and sometimes, the ink isn’t even dry on a contract before things change. That’s exactly what happened to the Green Bay Packers after signing Mecole Hardman this offseason.
The Packers brought Hardman aboard on a modest one-year, $1.5 million deal. The former second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs came with three Super Bowl rings but never quite lived up to the early draft-day buzz.
Hardman has yet to crack 700 receiving yards in a season. His peak came in 2021, when he snagged 59 passes for 693 yards and two touchdowns. Since then, it’s been a steep decline. Last season, he totaled just 12 receptions for 90 yards and no scores across 12 games.
Still, what drew Green Bay in was the one trait you can’t teach: blazing speed. With Christian Watson rehabbing from a torn ACL, the Packers lacked a true burner to take the top off a defense. Hardman was supposed to be that stopgap.
But plans may already be shifting.
Watson has surprised many with his rehab progress. He’s already running routes on the side and going through warm ups during mandatory minicamp. If he’s back sooner than expected, that alone could nudge Hardman down the depth chart.
And then came the draft.
Green Bay used a first-round pick on Matthew Golden, a smooth route-runner with serious speed—basically everything they hoped to get from Hardman, only younger and more polished.
In the third round, they snagged Savion Williams, a versatile weapon who can line up all over the field and turn jet sweeps into chunk plays—another area Hardman was expected to contribute in.
There’s also Bo Melton, who brings a similar profile: small frame, big speed, and position flexibility. But head coach Matt LaFleur prefers receivers who can hold their own in the run game, and having two undersized receivers who struggle to block could be one too many.
Now, none of this is to say Hardman won’t make the team or find a role. His playoff experience alone brings value to a young locker room, and the Packers aren’t going to lose sleep over a $1.5 million flyer.
Still, the writing may already be on the wall. With a suddenly crowded receiver room and younger, more cost-controlled players on the rise, Hardman’s spot is far from guaranteed.