3 Chiefs Free Agents Who Could Still Re-Sign With Kansas City
3. WR Mecole Hardman
Mecole Hardman's NFL career has been interesting to watch, to say the least.
After a solid three-year stint with the Georgia Bulldogs, the Chiefs selected Hardman 56th overall in 2019. Early draft analysis had experts comparing him to Tyreek Hill due to his speed, however, the 26-year-old wide receiver never came close to reaching those heights as he failed to hit the 700-yard mark in each of his first four seasons before becoming a free agent and signing with the New York Jets last offseason.
The fresh start that Hardman hoped to see in New York didn't go as planned, though.
He only recorded one reception for six yards across five games with the Jets before being traded back to the Chiefs for a 2025 sixth-round pick just ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. He went on to record 19 catches for 180 yards and one TD with the Chiefs across 10 games between the regular season and playoffs.
But even though Hardman is still a free agent, I wouldn't rule out a return. The Chiefs showed how much they liked him by trading for him last season despite letting him walk as a free agent. He's also capable of clutch moments, highlighted by his game-winning TD catch at Super Bowl 58.
"A lot of plays left to be made."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 25, 2021
"You're gonna make a play in this game."
Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes kept Mecole Hardman's head up after his muffed punt.
He scored a TD the very next drive đź‘Ź (via @insidetheNFL)pic.twitter.com/DyfPgHbLeb
The Chiefs might not have won the second of back-to-back Super Bowls without Hardman, so the least the franchise could do is reward him with another contract. It's clear that last season's divorce didn't work out, so it's likely mutually beneficial for both sides to run it back one more time.
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