Bills have decision to make on underwhelming Super Bowl champ occupying roster spot

The Buffalo Bills are looking for their most formidable wide receiver combination, and it doesn't appear to include Mecole Hardman.

The Bills chose to deploy Hardman as one of five active wide receivers for the Week 16 road game against the Cleveland Browns while not dressing Gabe Davis and Keon Coleman. The results were puzzling as Hardman played no role on offense, seeing only two special teams snaps in the December 21 win.

"Just a combination of receivers, offensively, that we wanted up. And then obviously, McCole was moved into the 5 spot there for primarily special teams purposes, but also a little bit of receiver as well," said Bills' head coach Sean McDermott about the choice to make Davis and Coleman inactive.

With Davis and Coleman down, the Bills dressed Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Tyrell Shavers, Brandin Cooks and Hardman, who has one receiving target over two appearances. While the first three have established themselves as mainstays, Cooks and Hardman have shown little during their limited opportunities.

While Bills' general manager Brandon Beane did the right thing by kicking the tires on a three-time Super Bowl champion like Hardman, the player just doesn't seem to be a fit in this offense.

With roster spots being so valuable, Buffalo may be better off moving on from Hardman. Whether or not the Bills elect to bring Curtis Samuel, who had two postseason touchdowns last year, off Injured Reserve, Hardman doesn't offer enough to warrant a spot.

Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mecole Hardman (16) returns a kickoff in the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Blocking ability wins out

While the decision to sit Davis two weeks in a row was said to be gameplan specific, it's odd that a team hell bent on running the ball would scratch its best blocking wide receiver for a barely-used return specialist.

"It's just more so offensive game planning that's in play, and Gabe, like Keon, we have confidence in both of those guys, and their opportunity will come up, and they'll be ready," said McDermott.

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The decision was likely part of the Bills' larger experiment as the coaches try to identify the right five amongst the available wide receivers. They already know what they have in Davis, and it's definitely more than what Hardman appears to offer.

Dec 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Overrated as returner

While he produced an electrifying 61-yard kickoff return on his first touch during his Bills' debut on November 16, Hardman subsequently fumbled away his first punt return before exiting due to a calf injury that landed him on IR.

In a move that raises questions about Hardman's value, the Bills deployed the sure-handed Khalil Shakir as the punt returner during the fourth quarter of a three-point game last Sunday.

"Just coach's choice, the wind and whatnot, and felt like Mecole had fielded some in the game. I think he had one in the game, and Khalil had fielded quite a few in the games leading up to that game. So just wanted, at that point in the game, to secure the catch and get the ball back," said McDermott.

With backup running back Ray Davis emerging as a viable kick returner, the Bills only need for Hardman is at punt returner. If they don't trust him to cleanly field punts in the fourth quarter, why bother keeping the underwhelming player on the roster?

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