The Bills activated Hardman (calf) from injured reserve Saturday, and he remains questionable for Sunday's game against the Browns.
Hardman is now eligible to play Week 16, but the final word on his status may not arrive until roughly 90 minutes prior to Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. If cleared to suit up versus Cleveland, expect Hardman to handle a depth role at wide receiver and in the return game.
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Bills' Mecole Hardman: Could return Sunday
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Hardman (calf) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Browns.
Hardman returned to practice this week and logged full sessions Thursday and Friday, suggesting he's trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's contest. However, he must still be added to the Bills' active roster in order to suit up Week 16. If the 27-year-old remains sidelined Sunday, expect Khalil Shakir to handle Buffalo's punt-return duties.
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Bills' Mecole Hardman: Practice window opens
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Hardman (calf) was designated to return from the injured reserve list Wednesday, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
The veteran wideout from Georgia has been sidelined for the Bills' last four games after sustaining a calf injury in the Week 11 win over the Buccaneers, but it now appears he's nearing a return. Hardman will likely contribute as one of Buffalo's top kick and punt returners once fully healthy, though he must still be activated to the team's active roster in order to suit up for the Week 16 matchup against the Browns.
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Bills' Mecole Hardman: Nearing return to practice
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Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Monday that Hardman (calf) could have his 21-day practice window opened this week, Chris Brown of the Bills Radio Network reports.
Hardman has been on injured reserve since Nov. 20, and he's now eligible to return to practice. Once activated, Hardman will operate primarily as an option in the return game for Buffalo.
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Bills' Mecole Hardman: Lands on IR
Rotowire
Hardman (calf) was placed on IR by the Bills on Thursday.
Hardman thus is slated to miss at least four games, meaning that he won't play again before Sunday, Dec. 21 against the Browns. His looming absence represents both a hit to Buffalo's depth at wideout as well as the team's return game, but at this stage Hardman is well off the fantasy lineup radar.
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Bills' Mecole Hardman: Out for Week 12
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Hardman (calf) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's matchup against the Texans.
The Georgia product made his 2025 debut in Buffalo's Week 11 win over the Buccaneers, recording 61 kick-return yards while playing 11 total snaps (seven on special teams, four on offense). However, he was unable to practice all week due to a calf injury and is now in line to miss Thursday night's contest. While Hardman is out in Week 12, expect Ty Johnson and Ray Davis to serve as the Bills' top kick returners.
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Bills' Mecole Hardman: Not practicing Tuesday
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Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that Hardman (calf) won't participate in Tuesday's walk-through practice, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.
With no on-field activity so far this week, Hardman's availability for Thursday's game against the Texans would appear to be in jeopardy. After the Bills signed him off the practice squad this past week, Hardman failed to haul in his lone target in Sunday's 44-32 win over the Buccaneers but ran back his lone kickoff return for 61 yards prior to exiting with the calf issue. Ray Davis -- who returned four kickoffs for 158 yards Sunday -- would be a candidate to step in as the Bills' top return man if Hardman can't play Week 12, and Brandon Codrington could also be promoted from the practice squad to help out on returns.
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Bills' Mecole Hardman: Estimated as DNP on Monday
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Hardman (calf) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's estimated practice report, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
The Bills held a walkthrough Monday after beating the Bucs on Sunday. In his first game with the team Sunday, Hardman played four offensive snaps and seven on special teams. He failed to catch his lone target and returned one kickoff for 61 yards while fumbling his lone punt-return opportunity.
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Bills' Mecole Hardman: Suffers calf injury vs. Bucs
Rotowire
Hardman is out for the remainder of Sunday's Week 11 game against Tampa Bay due to a calf injury.
Hardman was making his Bills debut after signing with the team's active roster Saturday. Prior to getting hurt, the veteran wideout saw one target, which he didn't catch. Hardman also returned one kickoff for 61 yards and returned one punt for zero yards with a fumble.
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Mecole Hardman: Joins Bills' practice squad
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Hardman was signed to the Bills' practice squad Monday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Hardman was cut from the Packers' practice squad in late September, and he will now get another shot with Buffalo. The wide receiver will look to impress at practice in order to potentially earn an elevation to the active roster down the road this season.
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Mecole Hardman: Sticking around Green Bay
Rotowire
Hardman was signed to the Packers' practice squad Wednesday.
Hardman was released by Green Bay on Tuesday, and in a somewhat surprising turn of events, he's decided to stick around as a member of the team's practice squad. With fellow wide receiver Jayden Reed (foot) still banged up, it's possible that Hardman could earn an elevation to the active roster for the Packers' opener against the Lions at home Sept. 7.
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Mecole Hardman: Cut loose by Green Bay
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Hardman was released by the Packers on Tuesday, Wes Hodkiewicz of the team's official website reports.
Hardman signed with Green Bay in March, but he failed to make much of an impact during the preseason. The wide receiver recorded three catches for 30 yards, while also adding a 14-yard rush and 20 yards on four punt returns over three contests. Hardman muffed a punt in his first preseason appearance, and he never found his footing with the team after that mistake. Considering his past production with Kansas City from 2019-2023 and 2025, Hardman shouldn't have much trouble latching on somewhere.
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Packers' Mecole Hardman: Makes more impact
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Hardman was targeted four times and caught two passes for 27 yards in Saturday's 23-10 preseason victory over the Jets. He also returned a punt for 10 yards in the contest.
It was hardly a big night for Hardman in the box score, but he fared far better than he did in his first exhibition appearance with the Packers, which bodes well for his chances of securing a roster spot. He is the only Packer to field a punt since the preseason began, so if he makes the cut he could work, as Green Bay's punt returner in Week 1.
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Packers' Mecole Hardman: Running routes in OTAs
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Hardman (knee) participated during OTAs on Wednesday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports.
Hardman finished the 2024 season on Kansas City's injured reserve list with a knee issue, but it doesn't seem to be hindering him anymore with offseason workouts now underway. Hardman will have to do everything he can to try to impress Green Bay's coaching staff, as he might not be a lock to make the final 53-man roster after the team added Matthew Golden and Savion Williams via the draft.
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Packers' Mecole Hardman: Signing with Packers
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The Packers signed Hardman (knee) to a one-year deal Tuesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Hardman will head to Green Bay after catching 12 passes for 90 yards and carrying the ball five times for an additional 62 yards and a touchdown in 12 games for Kansas City last season. He suffered a knee injury in December that landed him on injured reserve but can contribute on both offense and as a kick returner when healthy.
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Chiefs' Mecole Hardman: Won't return in divisional round
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Hardman (knee), who remains on injured reserve, has been ruled out for Saturday's divisional-round contest against the Texans.
The Chiefs designated Hardman for return from injured reserve on Jan. 1, but the wide receiver has yet to progress beyond a limited listing on six ensuing Chiefs injury reports. His window in which to get back on the active roster for the first time since Week 13 also is quickly coming to a close. First, though, Kansas City will need to emerge victorious Saturday in order for Hardman to have a chance to play again this season.
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Chiefs' Mecole Hardman: Unlikely to face Houston
Rotowire
Hardman (knee) is listed as doubtful for Saturday's AFC divisional-round game against the Texans.
Hardman was placed on injured reserve Dec. 7 due to a knee injury, and it doesn't appear likely that he will be activated from IR ahead of Saturday's playoff bout. If the Chiefs beat the Texans, then Hardman would have an opportunity to be activated from IR for the AFC Championship Game.
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Chiefs' Mecole Hardman: Logs another limited session
Rotowire
Hardman (knee) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.
The 2019 second-round pick from Georgia was designated to return from injured reserve Jan. 1 and has now opened the Chiefs' week of practice with back-to-back limited sessions. Hardman's practice participation Thursday will likely offer the best indication of whether he can return for Saturday's divisional-round matchup against the Texans. However, Hardman must still be added to the Chiefs' active roster in order to suit up Saturday, regardless of his practice status Thursday.
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Chiefs' Mecole Hardman: Remains limited in practice
Rotowire
Hardman (knee), who is on injured reserve, was a limited practice participant Tuesday.
Hardman had his practice window opened Jan. 1 and was deemed a limited practice participant throughout Week 18 prep. He wasn't activated ahead of that week's game against Denver and had an extra stretch of rest with the Chiefs holding a first-round playoff bye. Hardman has been on injured reserve since hurting his knee during a practice session in early December.
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Chiefs' Mecole Hardman: Won't return Sunday
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Hardman (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Broncos.
Hardman was designated to return from injured reserve Wednesday and logged a week of limited practice sessions, but it appears he's not ready to return to game action just yet. The Georgia product's absence in Week 18 could also be precautionary, as Kansas City is resting most of its starters after securing the AFC's No. 1 seed. Hardman's next opportunity to take the field will come in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
