The Buffalo Bills brought an end to the Mecole Hardman project this week, cutting ties with the veteran wide receiver just one day before they face the Philadelphia Eagles.
Hardman came to the team as a midseason acquisition, signed after the Bills came up short in their bid to find help at the NFL trade deadline. Though Hardman had a fast start with the team, he missed a month due to injury and then failed to make an impact in his return.
After the team announced his release, Hardman took to social media to share a one-word response.
Mecole Hardman Sends Cryptic Message on Cut
Hardman responded to a message about his release shared on X, one that claimed he didn’t make much of a difference on the field and that the Bills would be able to get him back later if they wished.
“Why are people acting like cutting, checks notes, Mecole Hardman is a big deal?” the post read. “lmao… We can re-sign him to the active roster or practice squad anytime we want. No one wants him. He isn’t good.”
Hardman quoted the post, adding a one-word response.
“Hmm,” Hardman wrote, adding a confused-face emoji.
Hardman showed promise, getting a long kickoff return in his first game, but fumbled a punt later that game and was injured. The Bills placed Hardman on injured reserve, missing four games before he returned in last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns.
The former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver ended the season with one target and no catches.
Bills Have Shuffled Wide Receiver Depth Chart
The Bills have struggled to get consistent production from their wide receivers this season, with slot receiver Khalil Shakir the most steady and others struggling at times. The Bills have tried to shake up their depth chart, benching veteran Gabe Davis for the last two games and Keon Coleman for last week’s win over the Browns.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott admitted after last week’s game that he isn’t sure what more the team can do to get more production from their boundary receivers.
“It’s a fair question and an accurate question; we haven’t had probably the production that we’d all would want,” McDermott said, via the Democrat & Chronicle.
The Bills head coach added that the group has worked hard, but the production just hasn’t been able to follow. McDermott said part of last week’s struggles were due to a game plan to avoid Myles Garrett, but said they would need to improve over the final stretch of the season and playoffs.
“I’m sure that those guys would say the same. Nobody works harder,” McDermott said. “That group is a group of hard-working guys. I know specifically the game plan (last Sunday), you hold the ball too long against that defensive line and Myles Garrett, and you’re gonna feel it, right? So I thought Joe (Brady) and the offensive staff did a great job with the game plan. Offensively, that’s gonna be an important part of us as we move forward here, something that we have to improve on here.”
Veteran Bills WR Sends 1-Word Message After Surprise Cut