Kansas City Chiefs bring back receiver Mecole Hardman in trade with New York Jets
The Kansas City Chiefs are hoping a reunion with an old friend will bolster their receiver room.
Mecole Hardman will re-join the Chiefs following a trade with the New York Jets, a source close to the situation confirmed to The Star. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the transaction Wednesday afternoon.
According to Schefter, the compensation was a swap of late-rounders: The Jets will receive the Chiefs’ 2025 sixth-round pick, while KC will return New York’s seventh-round selection the same year.
In March, Hardman signed a one-year, $4 million free-agent deal with the Jets. The 25-year-old never established much of a role with New York’s offense, however, playing just 28 offensive snaps in six games this season; he also told the New York Post last month his limited offensive role was “very surprising” to him.
KC selected Hardman in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Known for his speed, the 5-foot-10, 187-pound wideout previously thrived as a horizontal field-stretcher for the Chiefs, which included a game last season when he scored three touchdowns in a victory against the San Francisco 49ers.
Overall, 2022 was still a difficult contract year for Hardman, as he sat out most of the last half of the season with a groin injury. He returned for KC in the playoffs, catching two passes for 10 yards against Cincinnati in the AFC Championship Game before re-injuring himself.
Hardman had groin repair surgery in the offseason, and the injury was likely why he was available on a one-year, “prove-it” deal with the Jets. Before last season, he had no health issues, playing in 51 regular-season games for the Chiefs from 2019-21.
His best season with KC was in 2021, when Hardman had 59 catches for 693 yards with two touchdowns. Last season — before his injury — he had six combined receiving and rushing touchdowns in eight regular-season games, while also contributing 25 catches for 297 yards.
Hardman joins a young KC receivers room that has delivered inconsistent production this season. The Chiefs have mainly used receiver Kadarius Toney in Hardman’s previously held gadget role, while relying on Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Justin Watson and Rashee Rice to play a majority of the other snaps.
KC could also choose to change up its special teams with Hardman arriving. Montrell Washington has been the team’s return specialist the last three games, but Hardman also spent time with those duties during his previous stint with the Chiefs.
