GREEN BAY \u2014 Mecole Hardman has done something none of his Green Bay Packers teammates have done: He caught a game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n
And while that doesn\u2019t give him a get-off-the-bubble-free card that will allow him to go directly to the Packers\u2019 roster when the deadline to reach the NFL-mandated 53-man limit hits at 3 p.m. Tuesday, it does count for something to the man making the final calls.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys that have done significant things in this league like Mecole has and other players, that matters,\u201d general manager Brian Gutekunst said earlier this month. \u201cThey’ve been in the fire. He’s done a lot of really good things in camp for us, [and] certainly in his career he has.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hardman finished preseason play with three catches for 30 yards and also worked as a return man, although he muffed one punt and fielded another that he shouldn\u2019t have in the Aug. 9 loss to the New York Jets.<\/p>\n
With Christian Watson (knee), Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Jayden Reed (foot) all missing extended time during training camp with injuries, Hardman got extensive snaps in practice and in the preseason games.<\/p>\n
And while he didn\u2019t make any plays that compared to his 3-yard walk-off touchdown grab in overtime to give the Chiefs the Super Bowl LVIII title in February 2024, the 27-year-old Hardman did give the Packers reason to consider keeping him \u2014 beyond his inexpensive one-year, $1.5 million contract.<\/p>\n
Still, after catching 151 passes for 2,088 yards and 16 touchdowns on 220 targets during his first four NFL seasons, he managed only 27 catches for 214 yards and no touchdowns on 38 targets over the last two years with the Chiefs and Jets.<\/p>\n
As a result, he\u2019ll be waiting out the cutdown deadline and waiting to learn his fate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I had a few good last weeks, so whatever happens after this happens. All you can do is wait and see,\u201d Hardman said after Saturday\u2019s 20-7 win over the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason finale.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ain\u2019t ever had to sweat [cutdown day]. This is kind of the first one. But you know, everything always be different. Everything isn\u2019t always the same every time. So, it might be new to me, but whatever God\u2019s got for me, he\u2019s got for me. W whether it\u2019s here or somewhere else, you never know what can happen. I did what I can do, and now it\u2019s up to everybody else.”<\/p>\n
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