The Green Bay Packers took a low-risk gamble this offseason by adding Mecole Hardman, hoping he could carve out a role on a roster already stacked with young wide receiver talent. There was some hope he could make the 53-man squad, but when given the opportunity, Hardman failed to prove he deserved a spot.
“Based on his performance in Green Bay's preseason opener, though, Hardman could start the 2025 season looking for work,” Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport wrote. “But Hardman has never come especially close to living up to his draft slot. And on a Packers team loaded with young talent at wide receiver, he has no margin to make the sort of errors he made in his Green Bay debut.”
After final roster cuts, the Packers elected to release Hardman, though he chose to remain in Green Bay on the practice squad. However, he wasn’t elevated to the active roster at any point during the first three weeks of the season.
“Hardman elected to stay in Green Bay on the practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp. He was not elevated to the active roster in any of the first three games of the season, and the 2019 second-rounder will now be on the lookout for a team in need of depth at wide receiver,” CBS Sports wrote.
On Tuesday, the Packers made another decision regarding Hardman — one that further impacted his already uncertain NFL future.
“Packers released Mecole Hardman from the practice squad,” The Athletic’s Matthew Schneidman posted.
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It’s a tough blow for Hardman, who just two seasons ago was a Super Bowl hero in 2023. Now, he's simply trying to stay in the league. The speed of change at the professional level can be unforgiving — and for Hardman, it’s come at full force.
Ultimately, it was a tough fit in Green Bay. The team is deep at his position, and while he had a chance to make the roster as a punt returner, that experiment fell flat. The Packers gave it a shot, but Hardman just didn’t show the readiness or impact needed to elevate his game.