Chiefs once again face the Mecole Hardman question but the answer feels obvious

Mecole Hardman is officially a free agent. The Green Bay Packers released the veteran wide receiver earlier this week, as it became clear that his usefulness to them was less than their interest in another (younger) player, which is why they replaced him with rookie free agent Jakobie Keeney-James.

The likely instinct for Kansas City Chiefs fans is to expect a reunion with Hardman back at Arrowhead. While such a move is par for the course, given Brett Veach's body of work as the Chiefs general manager, it's hard to believe Hardman would find a home back in K.C. at this stage.

The Chiefs might be down a few wide receivers at this stage of the season, but they've already gotten through three weeks and reinforcements are on the way. Xavier Worthy could return as soon as Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens, and rookie fourth-round choice Jalen Royals was standing at the ready in Week 3 against the New York Giants in an "emergency" capacity, according to head coach Andy Reid. Royals has missed the first few weeks due to knee tendinitis.

It's hard to see a path back for Mecole Hardman, at least to the Chiefs' active roster.

With Worthy and Royals on the mend, the Chiefs will exhibit real depth at the position for the first time since the season began, knowing Rashee Rice is also coming back in Week 7 from suspension. It's also important to note that the emergence of Tyquan Thornton and the team's interest in Jason Brownlee alter things for Hardman in terms of the number of roster slots available.

In terms of Hardman's potential fit, Nikko Remigio is cemented into a return role for the Chiefs with an occasional offensive opportunity. Brashard Smith is also waiting in the wings for more touches overall and is another return option. From this vantage point, it's hard to see why the Chiefs would feel the need to bring Hardman into the fold—at least on the active roster.

Hardman was the Chiefs' second-round choice in the 2019 NFL Draft and has been brought back on two separate occasions after leaving the team. In 2023, Hardman signed with the New York Jets, but Veach traded back for him before the NFL's trade deadline. In 2024, the Chiefs re-signed Hardman again in June as training camp was coming into view for another run. In his career with the Chiefs, he has 2,486 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns in K.C.

If there's any utility for Hardman in K.C., it will be as insurance on the practice squad, and perhaps the vet is willing to play that part in order to return home and extend his career. If so, then a "reunion" could be in the cards, but the days of seeing him on the active roster appear to be over—even as there's an opportunity in front of K.C. for another return.