Paul Bretl | 6/11/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — During the Packers’ two minicamp practices up to this point, the most competitive portions, without question, have been the two-minute drills to end each day. And in each of those practices, with the offense’s back up against the wall, Mecole Hardman has come up with the game-tying or go-ahead touchdown.
“Just trying to get better every day,” Hardman said after Wednesday’s practice. “Trying to build chemistry throughout the team, no matter who’s at quarterback. Just want to make plays, learn the offense, and try to get better every day and try to put good things on film.”
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During Tuesday’s two-minute drill, Hardman spent some time working with the third team offense and quarterback Sean Clifford. The situation was that the offense was down seven with 1:25 left on the clock and the ball at their own 30-yard line.
After a rocky start to that possession, Clifford helped lead the offense down the field. With the ball deep in the opponent’s territory, Clifford was “sacked” by James Ester, and the clock continued to run as the offense made a mad dash to the line of scrimmage. Clifford then snapped the ball with a second left, and as pressure closed in, he scrambled back and to his left to buy time before heaving the ball into the end zone, where Hardman made a one-handed grab while in a group of defenders.
Fast forward to the end of Wednesday’s practice, and Hardman was with the first team offense. Following a “sack” by Xavier McKinney on second down and a pass breakup by Carrington Valentine on third down, the Packers’ offense faced a 4th and 15 backed up well inside their own territory.
With the defense in control and about to win the drill, Love took the snap, felt quick pressure from Lukas Van Ness to his left, and threw the ball downfield as his momentum carried him backwards. Running full speed with cornerback Gregory Junior and safety Evan Williams trailing him was Hardman, who hauled in the 70-plus-yard touchdown reception to give the offense the lead.
“I like the deep ball better, man,” Hardman said. “There’s just something about catching a long pass and scoring. The one-hander was nice, too, but I like the deep ball.”
Hardman was signed in mid-March by the Packers as a free agent. A former second-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Georgia, up to this point in his career, Hardman had spent the majority of his career in Kansas City, outside of the first half of the 2023 season, when he was with the New York Jets, before being traded back to the Chiefs that same year.
Over the past two seasons, Hardman has played a smaller role in the Chiefs’ offense, totaling 32 receptions on 43 targets at 8.4 yards per catch. He did miss some time this past season due to injury.
His best season came in 2021 when Hardman caught 67 passes for 814 yards with three scores. During his time with the Chiefs, Hardman has plenty of big-game experience, including catching the game-winning touchdown in the 2023 Super Bowl.
“I was definitely productive first three years and then end up getting hurt,” Hardman said. “And I’m just trying to come back and get back right to where I was, and I think this is a place I can actually get back to be productive.
“But then again it’s still to be shown. You still gotta make the team, still gotta find out a role and get that role. All in all, the end goal is to win the championship. As me, I’m the type of guy, whatever you need me to do I’m going to do, and whatever I need to do, I’m going to help out wherever it’s needed to be.”
Hardman joins a very crowded Packers’ wide receiver room, especially after the NFL draft, where two more additions were made in the first and third rounds, when the team selected Matthew Golden and Savion Williams.
It’s still too early to know exactly where Hardman could fit within this unit. But skill set-wise, and on paper, running a 4.33 coming out of Georgia, Hardman adds more speed, as well as versatility, to this Packers’ offense.
Able to line up inside and out, Hardman could potentially provide the offense with the all-important vertical presence while Christian Watson is sidelined. That speed and ability to make defenders miss also allows for Matt LaFleur to get him the ball closer to the line of scrimmage, whether that be behind the line of scrimmage on designed touches or quick passes in space where his YAC ability can take over.
“Versatility,” said Hardman about what he brings to this Packers team. “I can play all three positions – X, Z, F, slot. From that standpoint, I can do a lot. Bring speed to the offense, as well, whether it’s the gadget plays or the deep balls down the field, the screen game, YAC, I think I do bring into my game. I’ve shown that over the years that once you get the ball in my hands, I can make things happen.”
In addition to any possible contributions on offense, Hardman has shown that he can impact the game as a return man. With it being a crowded wide receiver room as is, finding playing time on offense, let alone getting targets, may not come easily.
However, as a returner, that gives Hardman a path when it comes to contributing, and it gives him a greater chance at making the final 53-man roster. As the old saying goes, the more you can do.
As a rookie in 2019, Hardman was a second-team All-Pro return man, handling 40 kickoff attempts that season, along with 20 punt return attempts as well. That year, Hardman ranked 10th in average yards per kick return and was one of six players with a touchdown. While on punts, Hardman ranked 13th out of 42 eligible players in yards per return attempt.
More recently, during the 2024 season, Hardman had five kick return attempts and averaged 26.4 yards per return. He also had 20 punt return attempts, averaging 10.2 yards per return. For some context, Hardman ranked 37th in yards per kick return league-wide and 17th in yards per punt attempt out of 45 eligible return men, per PFF.
“It’s definitely always part of my game,” Hardman said of his return abilities. “I think returning is a unique skill. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to return on some of the big stages and some of the biggest games. When it comes to that, I love that part of it. I’m open to everything – kickoff return, punt return.
“If that’s something that they would love me to be a part of, I’d love to be a part of it, as well, and I’ll come in with that mindset of trying to do that on special teams as well as trying to carve out a role in the receiver room, as well. The more you can do, the better.”
Through the four total OTA and minicamp practices that have been open to the media, Hardman has been rotated in with Jordan Love and the first team offense, while the majority of his snaps have come with the second team. On the return unit, Hardman, Jayden Reed, Keisean Nixon, and Matthew Golden are all seeing regular attempts to field punts during practice.
After signing with the Packers for a one-year, $1.17 million deal, Hardman is far from a roster lock. If the Packers were to cut him, the only dead cap they would take on would be the $150,000 signing bonus that was guaranteed.
Whether it be at receiver or as a return man, the Packers aren’t lacking options when it comes to how they construct their final roster and filling those roles. As described, there are a few different ways that Hardman can make an impact on this Packers team and roles he can potentially fill, but the competition when it comes to earning those opportunities, and ultimately a roster spot, will be heavy.
“I’m all for it,” Hardman said of the competition at wide receiver. “It brings different elements to the room, it brings competition to the room. I’ve been in the league seven years, so I’ve never been the type to shy away from competition. Myself, I’ve been in stacked rooms before. The competition makes everything great. Our job as receivers is to make it hard for the coaches to make a decision. All in all, I love the competition that it brings.”