Source: Packers Release Receiver/Returner Mecole Hardman

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In a perfect world, the Green Bay Packers would let Jayden Reed focus on playing receiver and Keisean Nixon focus on playing cornerback and let someone like Mecole Hardman handle kick returns.

“I don’t really know if I could live in a perfect world,” special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said during training camp.

The Packers signed Mecole Hardman in free agency in hopes that his experience, speed and return history would make him a weapon on offense and special teams. After a quiet training camp, though, the Packers released him as part of their 53-man roster cutdown on Tuesday, a source told Packers On SI.

While he had the turnover against the Jets in the first preseason game, there’s little doubt Hardman could help on special teams and alleviate the pressure off Nixon and Reed. He had a 10-yard punt return against the Colts and another against the Seahawks.

In 2024, Hardman had a combined 29 returns and fair catches on punts. He had zero muffs. According to Pro Football Focus, he had four muffs in a combined 129 returns and fair catches in his first six seasons. That’s as many as Reed in his first two seasons.

“He’s got some skins on the wall in this league,” Bisaccia said.

However – and this is where Bisaccia’s perfect-world comment was prescient – you can’t be an impact player on special teams if you’re not going to make an impact on the other side of the ball.

After a strong first four seasons as a receiver after being a second-round pick by the Chiefs in 2019, Hardman caught 15 passes for 124 yards in 2023 and 12 passes for 90 yards in 2024. This preseason, Hardman caught 3-of-8 passes for 30 yards, including a 21-yarder against the Colts.

“I’d say my experience, usually you have to have players make the team and then find roles for them to play in the kicking game,” Bisaccia said. “Everybody talks about special teams – your way of making the team is on special teams, the only chance you have to make the team is on special teams – (but) they have to be pretty good at their position, as well, in order to make the 53 and then to be on the 48 to dress and help us everywhere.”

Hardman, who signed with the Packers in free agency before they drafted Matthew Golden and Savion Williams, came to Green Bay “motivated” to show he could be an impact receiver and not just someone to throw the ball to on screens. The Packers gave him that opportunity, letting him run the full route tree throughout camp. He made a couple big-time plays during the offseason practices.

“I’m enjoying it,” Hardman said during camp. “Just trying to learn the playbook, all the details, trying to get it all down. They put a lot of receivers in different spots here to run different routes, so just trying to just get everything down. But, so far, it’s been good.”

After a muff and a bad decision on punt returns and a drop on offense in the first preseason game, Hardman – a three-time Super Bowl champion – was trending the right way down the stretch.

“I think this past week is the best he’s looked since he’s been here,” receivers coach and passing game coordinator Jason Vrable said recently. “In practice, he was flying around against the Colts. Got open and won his one-on-ones, and he did the same thing in the game. I think he’s a strong hands catcher.

“I know two weeks ago, he might have had the drop and different things like that, but I thought he showed up and bounced back in a great way for our offense. He’s done a great job being very professional for the younger guys in the room, too.”

All along, the belief was it would be the speed and return ability of Hardman vs. the physicality of Malik Heath for the sixth and, presumably, final spot in Green Bay’s crowded receiver room.

“I ain’t ever had to sweat it,” Hardman said on Saturday of the pending roster cuts. “This is kind of the first one.”

Hardman believes those skins on the wall that Bisaccia pointed to will keep him in the league.

“I would like to say that,” he said. “But you just don’t know how teams view you or what teams see in you or how they value you. So, whether it’s here or somewhere else, you never know what can happen. I did what I can do and now it’s up to everybody else.”