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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman was off to a productive season before suffering an abdominal injury. He had scored touchdowns in three straight games and was on pace for his second-highest receiving total before missing the last nine games of the season.
Unfortunately, in his return for the AFC Championship Game, he aggravated his injury and was unable to recover in time for the Super Bowl. Now the second-round pick out of Georgia is set to enter free agency.
Will the Chiefs bring him back in 2023? If not, where might he end up?
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Is Mecole Hardman A Free Agent In 2023?
The Chiefs chose to prioritize the offensive line ahead of wide receiver last year, and it paid off. Without the expensive contract of Tyreek Hill on the books, they constructed one of the best pass-blocking units in the league. Patrick Mahomes still led the NFL in passing, and the line neutralized the feared Philadelphia Eagles pass rush in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory.
So why would the Chiefs invest $10-12 million in a receiver who has never quite lived up to expectations? In this year’s weak free-agent class, Hardman is one of the top ten at his position.
The Chiefs still have Travis Kelce, Marques Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, and Skyy Moore entering his second year—the corps that played down the stretch and throughout the playoffs. JuJu Smith-Schuster is entering free agency, too. The Chiefs could select another receiver in the draft.
Which Team Will Sign Mecole Hardman This Offseason?
If Hardman goes onto the open market, he could be an attractive option for a team in need of a speedy slot receiver. The Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and Atlanta Falcons are all teams looking to add to their receiver rooms.
Hardman is never going to be an all-around route-running ace or a contested catch king. He is not an alpha receiver. That’s why he could be a better fit on a team that already has a quality WR1 like the Browns, Cowboys, or Falcons.
According to Zac Jackson of The Athletic, the Browns “The Browns have two good ones [WRs] in Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones, but they need more speed at the receiver position.”
Mecole Hardman definitely fits the bill. The 24-year-old ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the Combine in 2019 and was clocked at 4.22 in a race he won against Henry Ruggs, Devin White, and Justin Jefferson in 2021.
Chicago is an interesting landing spot because it would reunite Hardman with Justin Fields. Although Fields only played one season with Hardman at Georgia and only threw 39 passes before transferring to Ohio State, he displayed a connection with him, illustrated in a 57-yard touchdown strike Field threw to the then-junior.
Afterward, Hardman said, “Man, Justin can throw that thing.”
Fields likes to air it out. Sixteen percent of his attempts were for over 20 yards, and he threw seven deep touchdowns. The two of them could make a lot of big plays happen.
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