Mecole Hardman will take the NFL's version of a mulligan if he could.
The former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver is trying his best to make the Green Bay Packers active roster after signing a one-year deal with the team in free agency worth $1.5 million for the 2025 season. However, only $150K of that is guaranteed and that might be all Hardman earns when push comes to shove.
The Packers had their preseason opener on Saturday, a home game against the New York Jets, which gave Hardman his first opportunity to showcase his skills in legitimate competition for Matt LaFleur and company. Let's just say it didn't go so well.
Mecole Hardman had a rather miserable first game day with the Green Bay Packers.
Hardman was already descending the depth chart even before the game, but his performance didn't help matters at all. Chiefs fans will remember well how Hardman would decide to field punts inside the five-yard line, and he did the same for the Packers on a bizarre preseason decision that infuriated Packers faithful.
Even worse was the fact that Hardman dropped a pass, when given few opportunities in the first place, and then muffed another punt return opportunity.
Mecole Hardman muffs the punt...couldn't happen to a better guy. pic.twitter.com/au2IK21hKT
— Glenn Naughton (@JNRadio_Glenn) August 10, 2025
The Packers already had a deep wide receiving room, which placed Hardman on the roster bubble no matter how he performed on Saturday. Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Christian Watson were all roster locks before the Packers also drafted Matthew Golden and Savion Williams in the first and third rounds of this year's draft.
After the game, Hardman owned his mistakes with post-game quotes and on social media. "I just needed to make better decisions," said Hardman. "I made two bad decisions, so that’s all on me. It happened fast, so you just want to make something happen. At the end of the day, I’ve just got to make better decisions."
Mistakes happen🤦🏾♂️ but it’s all about how you respond.
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) August 10, 2025
The Chiefs already let Hardman leave once in free agency (to the New York Jets) only to bring him back when injuries forced them to bolster the position. While it's unclear if the Chiefs would be interested in yet another reunion with Hardman in the future, it's looking like he's at least going to be available to someone on the open market soon.