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NFL wide receiver Mecole Hardman with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mecole Hardman has not had much success away from the Kansas City Chiefs, and that trend has continued in 2025 as the Green Bay Packers reportedly parted ways with the former second-round talent and three-time Super Bowl champion.

“The Packers released WR Mecole Hardman from the practice squad,” ESPN beat reporter Rob Demovsky relayed on September 23, as Week 4 kicked off around the NFL.

Green Bay signed a wide receiver named Jakobie Keeney-James in Hardman’s place.

Hardman has obviously spent the bulk of his career in Kansas City. Over the course of his five and a half seasons with the Chiefs, Hardman has racked up over 2,300 receiving yards in the regular season and playoffs combined.

He also earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors for his impact as a returner during his rookie season.

Hardman never quite lived up to his draft status, but he was at his best with KC and head coach Andy Reid. Considering the Chiefs’ current issues at wide receiver, one can never rule out a Hardman reunion.

Chiefs Could Offer Mecole Hardman a Practice Squad Deal

With Jalen Royals back and Xavier Worthy on track to return in Week 4, the Chiefs wouldn’t need any help on the active roster, but they could offer Hardman a practice squad role for emergency depth. Similar to running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire returning on the practice squad in 2025.

Reid and his coaching staff love players with built-in knowledge of their scheme and playbook, and it wouldn’t be the first time they reunited with Hardman.

Following the speedy wideout’s initial free agency departure in 2023, the Chiefs traded for Hardman after he struggled to find a role with the Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets.

Hardman then chipped in 118 receiving yards with Kansas City during the regular season, and another 62 throughout the 2023-24 Super Bowl run. That impact culminated in the game-winning TD versus the San Francisco 49ers.

After that, Hardman was re-signed in 2024, but was quickly overshadowed by younger receiving options. He did not factor in the 2024 playoff run, then signed with the Packers in free agency.

The Chiefs currently have seven wide receivers on the 53-man roster, not including suspended star Rashee Rice. The lone wideout on the practice squad is undrafted rookie Jimmy Holiday.

Will Xavier Worthy Return for Chiefs in Week 4?

The Chiefs managed their first win of the 2025 season without Worthy and Rice on Sunday night, but it wasn’t pretty. It’s clear that Kansas City needs these two playmakers back on offense as soon as possible.

Worthy should return well before Rice, and he could retake the field as soon as Week 4.

On Monday, September 22, Reid explained why Worthy didn’t travel with the team to New York in Week 3.

“Yeah, so he was really positive coming in,” Reid said. “Mentally, he was saying, ‘I’m going to play in the game.’ You’ve got to kind of take that kind of approach with that type of an injury, and he did.”

“He came out and he practiced and he did the best he could, but it just wasn’t right,” the Chiefs HC continued. “Between Xavier and the doctors and so on, we thought it was best if he didn’t play.”

Worthy dislocated his shoulder in Week 1, so he’s only missed two full weeks of football. Still, it’d be nice to get him back ahead of a massive Week 4 matchup with the AFC rival Baltimore Ravens.

Michael Obermuller covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller