The first preseason game wasn’t a good look for most of the Green Bay Packers’ receiving group, but perhaps no one hurt their chances of making the final roster like Mecole Hardman.

The veteran WR was never a roster lock after signing a one-year, low-money deal with Green Bay this offseason. But with poor play as a returner, where he was most expected to be a factor, and a receiver against the New York Jets, his chances to stay with the Packers are looking slim.

There’s still time for the veteran to bounce back and earn his roster slot if he can impress in the next few weeks. Still, with other options at receiver and on special teams, Hardman must dig himself out of a deep hole to make the roster.

The sixth-year veteran spent most of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the NFL’s consistently top-ranked squads despite lacking a dominant wide receiver group through most of Patrick Mahomes‘ tenure.

Hardman has three Super Bowl rings and made impactful plays for the Chiefs in the postseason. Still, the former second-round pick never became “the guy.”

Throughout his career, Hardman has played in 80 games, accumulating just over 2,300 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns to his name. His career high in receiving yards came in 2021, with 693, and the six receiving TDs he scored as a rookie in 2019 are a career high.

Hardman made more of an impact as a returner, especially with punts. He has 819 punt return yards and is coming off a career-high 203 yards in 2024, and he scored a punt return TD in 2020. Hardman’s role as a kick returner declined after his rookie season, during which he had 704 yards and a touchdown, but he certainly has the experience to excel in both roles.

That special teams role is likely the main reason the Packers signed Hardman. At the end of the season, Keisean Nixon said he was no longer interested in working as a returner, though he’s since said he’s open to handling those duties again. He and punt returner Jayden Reed have seen their roles on defense and offense increase, so finding a long-term specialist option there makes sense. If the veteran receiver can make some plays for Jordan Love when called upon, even better.

However, Hardman did neither job well against the Jets last week.

He dropped his only target of the night despite running 20 routes and staying on the field long after Love and the first team offense called it a day.

Worse yet, Hardman made two crucial errors on both of his punt returns.

First, he fielded a punt at the five-yard line rather than let it bounce into the end zone. That led to a short field where Malik Willis fumbled in the end zone, and the Jets scored.

His second attempt was a muff.

Hardman isn’t a rookie trying to carve a role for himself. He’s a former second-team All-Pro returner blundering his shot to keep his career going.

Packers HC Matt LaFleur on Mecole Hardman fielding a punt inside the 5-yard line and the muffed punt:

“Those were obviously two bad decisions.”

— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) August 10, 2025

With only a limited number of opportunities available, it may be that Hardman simply tried to do too much to impress his coaches and achieved the opposite result.

I GOTTA SHOW COACH SOMETHING SYNDROME

— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) August 10, 2025

Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia thought the muffed punt was out of character, saying, “He knows he’s in a battle. He’s been practicing well, and he’s made good plays in practice.”

“I’m hoping he was trying to make too big of a play too early,” Bisaccia said of Hardman’s fumble on the punt return.

“I’m expecting him to respond the right way.”

— Paul Bretl (@Paul_Bretl) August 10, 2025

Still, the coaching staff looked at other returner options in this week’s practices.

Running back Israel Abanikanda handled kick returner duties in the preseason and continued getting first reps there this week, with Savion Williams getting second-team reps. While Hardman only handled punts on Saturday, he’d also been returning kicks in practice.

Abanikanda did well with kicks, averaging 29.4 yards per return, a decent showing under the league’s new return rules. The former Jets running back has been a training camp star, and his best shot at the roster might be winning the returner job, making it even harder for Hardman to earn a roster spot.

Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed are dealing with injuries. Still, assuming there aren’t any setbacks, those two, along with Matthew Golden, Romeo Doubs, and Williams, are roster locks.

Christian Watson is expected to start the season on the PUP list, but would be the sixth WR on the roster once he returns. If the Packers take six receivers on the initial roster, they may cut the sixth man to make room for Watson. Green Bay may also choose to keep only five receivers on the initial roster and elevate them from the practice squad as needed until Watson returns to action.

So far, no other receiver, including Hardman, is making a strong case to be that sixth option.

Hardman will need to sharply increase his stock as both a receiver and returner to make the roster. His $1.5 million signing bonus is his only guaranteed money, so the Packers won’t be shy about letting him walk.

It sounds like Bisaccia wants to continue giving Hardman chances as a returner, but we’ll see if he continues to lose snaps throughout joint practices and the final two preseason games. It’s not over for Hardman yet, but he’s trending in the wrong direction and has hurt his case tremendously against the Jets.