Bills To Release WR Mecole Hardman, P Mitch Wishnowsky

Wishnowsky looks to have lost the Bills’ punting competition to seventh-round rookie Tommy Doman Jr. Hardman caught on with the Bills’ practice squad last November and signed a reserve/futures deal with the team in January. The Bills could circle back to Hardman via a practice squad invite once again, as he does not have to clear waivers.

The Bills signed Wishnowsky to be their punter last September, upon placing Cameron Johnston on IR. Wishnowsky had been the 49ers’ punter for the previous six seasons. San Francisco did not re-sign the veteran in 2025, after he had finished the ’24 season on IR.

Wishnowsky, 34, averaged 45.3 yards per punt last season. Doman averaged 44.0 per boot during his lone Florida season (2025). He previously punted for Michigan from 2022-24. During preseason play, however, Doman separated himself from Wishnowsky with a 48.1-yard average; Wishnowsky came in at just 42.3.

A former All-Pro return man who famously scored a walk-off touchdown to propel the Chiefs to an overtime win in Super Bowl LVIII, Hardman makes sense as a P-squad stash at this stage of his career. He played in only three Bills games last season, one that featured more wide receiver inconsistency in Buffalo. The team has since traded for D.J. Moore and used a fourth-round pick on UConn’s Skyler Bell. Hardman could be brought back to the active roster after post-deadline IR gymnastics, but for the time being, the 28-year-old pass catcher/return man is in free agency once again.