Mecole

Hardman

Hardman will now miss at least four games. He does not need to be rostered in any format. The Bills also elevated WR Gabe Davis from the practice squad to the active roster for tonight’s game against the Texans.

Mecole Hardman will also be sidelined for this game. Josh Palmer should be locked in as the Bills’ No. 2 receiver for Week 12. Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers will also be in the mix for routes.

Neither will Mecole Hardman (calf), and with Buffalo’s wideout depth in trouble for Week 12, it looks like the sort of perfect storm to get Keon Coleman active again for Thursday night.

Hardman was signed to Buffalo’s practice squad this week and then signed to the active roster on Saturday night. His Bills career began with an electric 61-yard kickoff return. He later fumbled on a punt return where he should have called a fair catch. That was his last play of the game, but the Bills ruled him out with a calf injury. It does make you wonder how long his Bills tenure will last.

In order to make room on the active roster, the Bills released KR/PR Brandon Codrington which seems to signal that Hardman will primarily be used as a return man in Buffalo. The Bills could also use Hardman on som gadget routes but they have Elijah Moore and Curtis Samuel in that role as well. For now, Hardman remains off fantasy radars.

McDermott complimented the “flexibility” Hardman brings to the offense. The Bills signed Hardman to their practice squad on Tuesday. The longtime Chiefs gadget player and kicker returner could suit up for the Bills as soon as Week 11 against the Bucs. He had just 26 receptions over his past final two seasons with the Chiefs and hasn’t scored a regular season touchdown since 2022. Hardman will likely be a situational player in the run-heavy Buffalo offense.

The Saints are looking to add receiver depth and hosted a trio of wideouts for tryouts Tuesday. Osborn was cut by the Commanders prior to the start of the season while the Packers let Hardman go last month. Bell was also released by the Lions last month. Between the three, the Saints signed Bell to their practice squad.

Hardman was waived at last cuts but decided that staying with the Packers made sense. The 27-year-old will likely be elevated in Week 1 if Jayden Reed’s injury is as serious as it seems. Also joining the Packers practice squad are: QB Clayton Tune, RB Israel Abanikanda, DL Deslin Alexandre, DB Johnathan Baldwin, T Brant Banks, DL James Ester, LB Jamon Johnson, K Mark McNamee, DL Arron Mosby, WR Isaiah Neyor, WR Will Sheppard, DB Jaylin Simpson, and LB Kristian Welch.

Hardman was a long shot to make the Packers even as a quality special teams player, as there are too many bodies in the Green Bay receiving room. It’s possible he could be a target for the practice squad, but it’s likely someone will give Hardman a chance to return kicks on the active roster.

Hardman has spent all but five games of his six-year career with the Chiefs. Mostly playing as a gadget receiver and return specialist, Hardman has won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs and made the Pro Bowl as a returner during his rookie season. He ventured outside of Kansas City for the Jets in 2023 but was traded back to the Chiefs after just one catch in five games. Hardman returned 20 punts for 203 yards and five kicks for 132 yards last season. The Packers add him as reinforcement, though his traits overlap with Jayden Reed’s, making him unlikely to see a consistent role unless Reed is out. Expect Hardman to primarily operate as a returner for Green Bay.