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Green Bay Packers release 3x Super Bowl champion wide receiver

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Robin M Adams | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 6:15 PM ET

The Green Bay Packers are busily preparing for their Week Four matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, which will take place at AT&T Stadium (where they have never lost) on Sunday Night Football. As is the case around the NFL, the start of the regular season has not stopped the Packers from tinkering with their roster, both active and practice squad. Injuries, of course, are a big reason for this, and Green Bay has had no shortage of them since the 2025 regular season began.

Starting right tackles Zach Tom is battling an oblique injury, one that forced him to miss Green Bay’s Week Two game and limited him to a single snap in Week Three. Left guard Aaron Banks is also battling injury after hurting his groin against the Cleveland Browns.

Additionally, wide receiver Jayden Reed is out until mid-to-late November with a broken collar bone and Jones fracture.

But instead of adding a player to help replace Reed, who led the team in receptions and receiving yards in each of the past two seasons, the Packers instead released three-time Super Bowl champion Mecole Hardman.

The Green Bay Packers have released wide receiver Mecole Hardman

Green Bay Packers Insider Reveals 1 Surprising Wide Receiver Turning Heads During Training Camp 1 Green Bay Packers wide receiver Mecole Hardman (6) participates in drills during fifth day of training camp on July 28, 2025, at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon, Wis.

Early in the offseason, the Packers had signed Hardman, who won three Super Bowl titles with the Kansas City Chiefs, to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. Only his $150,000 signing bonus was guaranteed.

Hardman did not make the initial 53-man roster and released following training camp, but was signed to Green Bay’s practice squad. When Reed went down with his injuries, many thought that Hardman would be brought up to the active roster in order to help on special teams as a punt returner.

However, the Packers never elevated him. And on Tuesday, they released him:

Packers released Mecole Hardman from the practice squad.

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 23, 2025

Hardman, a six-year NFL veteran, has 178 career receptions for 2,302 yards and 16 touchdowns. Now a free agent, he will likely find another team fairly soon given the number of pass catcher-needy teams and his experience playing for the Chiefs during their run of three titles in five seasons.

To replace Hardman on the practice squad, the Packers signed wide receiver Jakobie Keeney-James, an undrafted rookie free agent who previously spent time with the Detroit Lions.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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