Footenotes: Mecole Hardman, 'The Jet,' is Cleared for Takeoff
Investing in a private jet is a serious undertaking. It isn't used all that often, but when needed, it sure can fly. The Kansas City Chiefs' own "Jet" was soaring high on Sunday afternoon against the New York football team with the same nickname.
Heading into the Chiefs' Week 8 matchup with the winless New York Jets, Mecole Hardman had never hauled in more than four passes in a single game. He nearly doubled that yesterday, garnering a career-high seven receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. It was a welcome sight for Chiefs fans, as well as Hardman's own teammates. Not only did the speedster out of Georgia put up big numbers, but he showcased something many have been waiting to see for quite a while: growth.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach knew when he drafted Hardman that he was a work in progress. Hardman's rookie stats — 26 receptions, 538 yards, six touchdowns — were fairly impressive, but they came mostly on the same few route concepts and out of the same offensive sets. While Hardman managed to post some solid numbers through big plays, Andy Reid was limited in what he could ask his young receiver to do. Coming into this season, there were high hopes that things would change for the better.
In terms of his role within the offense in 2020, Hardman hasn't seen anything too different from what he was tasked with last year. His route tree is still limited, and he continues to struggle against press-man coverage. The key to slowing Hardman down is to ensure he doesn't get a clean jump off the line of scrimmage by getting physical with him and forcing him to beat you with his technique and savvy, rather than his speed.
Defenses used that blueprint to hold Hardman to 13 catches, 194 yards and a pair of touchdowns through the first six games of the season. In the first quarter of the Chiefs' Week 7 blowout win over the Denver Broncos, Hardman made two catches for 57 yards, including this one-handed snag.
He also registered a 13-yard carry, speaking to his versatility as a pre-snap motion man. Hardman provided a glimpse of what he could do outside of being restricted to "gadget" plays or deep-developing routes, and he built upon that on Sunday against the Jets. While his 30-yard touchdown came on a designed "pop" pass, Hardman came up huge on a pair of third-and-longs. First on a deep comeback, then syncing up with quarterback Patrick Mahomes after a play broke down.
When Sammy Watkins went down with a hamstring injury, speculation immediately began as to who the Chiefs' true No. 3 receiver was. Was it Hardman? Was it Demarcus Robinson? What about Byron Pringle? That question is still left partially unanswered, and with Watkins' return likely coming next week or after the bye, it's difficult to see any of the aforementioned trio doing anything to stand out in the interim.
Arrowhead Report's Conner Christopherson recently wrote about how Watkins' eventual replacement (in 2021 or beyond) currently isn't on the roster. He tips his cap to Hardman for his unique blend of speed and quickness, but also reminds us that Hardman's lack of experience and subsequent development may put a cap on his ceiling as a player. Those are all fair points and still remain true despite a good game-and-a-quarter from Hardman.
Hardman is an explosive and exciting player whose role is still fairly limited. He does benefit from those around him — Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Watkins (when healthy) — receiving the bulk of the defense's attention. He also benefits from Reid's scheming. His game still needs refinement as he matures at the NFL level.
On the other hand, he just had arguably his best game as a pro and would've easily topped the 100-yard mark had he not dropped two passes and gotten injured late in the game. The Chiefs called on him repeatedly on Sunday and more often than not, he answered. He did the same thing the week prior, albeit in just a small fraction of the contest.
It's still okay, and probably even wise, to temper your expectations for Mecole Hardman. His track record and current range of abilities make that a safe route to take. With that said, any improvement in his short-to-intermediate game will go a long way towards becoming more than just a solid player. How much did Sunday's game mean for Hardman's long-term role in the offense? It depends. We've seen Hardman soar before, but now we'll have to wait and see if he's been fully cleared for takeoff.
