Cowboys Could Sign Ex-Chiefs WR in Free Agency Surprise

Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones

The Dallas Cowboys are clearly interested in improving their receiver group, and one name to consider is a former Kansas City Chiefs WR. The Cowboys drafted a WR in the sixth-round and also brought in Zay Jones for a visit this past week.

But if Jones isn’t a good fit, they could hit up Mecole Hardman. DallasCowboys.com writer Nick Harris thinks Hardman and former Las Vegas Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow could be free agency options.

“With Zay Jones visiting this week, the Cowboys may also be in the market for a receiver,” Harris wrote on May 9. “If Jones doesn’t work out, Mecole Hardman or Hunter Renfrow could bring some playmaking ability to the offense next season.”

Of the three options, Hardman may be the most prominent. Hardman is a one-time Pro Bowler and has had a ton of success with the Chiefs. Most notably, he caught the game-winning touchdown pass during the 2024 Super Bowl.

That being said, Hardman’s not a sure-fire idea. There are red flags in his resume. But if the Cowboys do want another new WR, he would be a fine option.

Hardman Wins 3 Super Bowls with Chiefs

If nothing else, Hardman is a proven winner. After playing at Georgia in college, the 26-year-old receiver was drafted by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.

As Pro Football Reference shows, he was an ideal “swiss army knife” for Kansas City. While he caught 26 passes for 538 yards (20.7 yards per reception) and 6 touchdowns, he’s also a dangerous return man who returned a kickoff for a TD in 2018.

Hardman got more and more involved with the Chiefs’ offense over the following two seasons. But his production hung around the same level. His career-best for receiving yards (693) came in 2021 and he’s never scored more than 6 touchdowns in a season.

And while he finished strong with Kansas City last season, his departure to the New York Jets was a failure. Hardman signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Jets but only made a single catch in six appearances.

New York traded him to the Chiefs after things went south, and he ended up being a hero in the Chiefs’ third title in 5 years.

Cowboys Could Trade Veteran WR

While Hardman or Jones could be on the way in, Brandin Cooks might be on the way out. Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine recently tagged Cooks as a potential trade candidate as summer approaches.

“Brandin Cooks is a good receiver but his best chance at holding an NFL record is to get traded one more time,” Ballentine wrote on May 8. “He’s currently tied with Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson as the most-traded player in the league since 1980.Trading away the veteran receiver would save the Cowboys $8 million against the 2024 salary cap if the move was executed after June 1.”

Considering Dallas is relatively tight on cap space, it could be the right move. However, trading Cooks only makes sense if there’s another option coming in. In terms of similarities, though, Cooks’ skillset feels somewhere in the middle between Jones and Hardman.