3 reasons why Packers signed Mecole Hardman: Change coming in Jayden Reed's role?

The Green Bay Packers are on the verge of adding a veteran presence to their wide receiver room, after Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported former Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets receiver Mecole Hardman is set to sign with Green Bay on a one-year deal.

It may not be the splash signing Packers fans were dreaming of, but Hardman can still provide value not only on offense but also on special teams.

Here are three ways Green Bay's newest addition can contribute:

Speed

With Christian Watson set to be out for at least the early part of the 2025 season, the Packers need to replicate what he brings to the offense, which are deep speed and the ability to beat man coverage.

Hardman is not exactly the same type of player -- he is almost six inches smaller than Watson and more than 20 pounds lighter -- but he ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine back in 2019, showcasing his ability to stretch the field.

Mecole Hardman’s speed is a game changer 😳🤫 @MecoleHardman4 @Chiefs pic.twitter.com/0kVDCkIlBc
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 18, 2020

In terms of healthy receivers, Hardman has by far the best track record against man coverage among Green Bay's group of wideouts. His 72.33 career PFF grade versus man is markedly better than Romeo Doubs' 65.2, Dontayvion Wicks' 63.9 and Jayden Reed's 57.7. His 1.97 yards per route run (Y/RR) also easily clears Wicks at 1.39, Reed at 1.34 and Doubs at 1.05.

Watson's career PFF grade against man is 77.2, and his Y/RR is 2.08, so Hardman does not completely make up for his absence, but he does have value. While there is a chance he does not make the final 53-man roster depending on how the draft and training camp play out, he equally could end up carving out a role in the offense in 2025.

A change in Reed's role?

After the addition of Hardman, the Packers now have two receivers on the roster under 5-11 and 190 pounds, which is an unusual spot for them to be, given how they have traditionally liked to build the room.

Hardman, like Reed, has played more than 50% of his career snaps in the slot, although he actually lined up on the perimeter more often than inside in 2024. The 27-year-old has been primarily a slot going all the way back to college, but Reed actually spent the majority of his final two seasons at Michigan State lined up out wide.

Could this mean Reed getting more opportunities to play outside in 2025, with Hardman assuming more of the slot snaps?

He could also take over some of the gadget plays Reed has traditionally carried out. There is plenty of scope for it within the offense; Reed has 32 rushing attempts in his two NFL seasons, only seven fewer than Hardman has had during his entire career.

It will be interesting to see how Hardman and Reed are mixed and matched in Matt LaFleur's offense.

Punt/kick returns

Reed has been the Packers' main punt returner since he was drafted in 2023, but he has not provided much juice. He ranked 33rd out of 42 qualified punt returners at PFF in 2023, and 42nd out of 43 in 2024, with an average grade of 49.8.

Hardman has averaged a rank of around 13th in the four seasons he returned enough punts to qualify, with an average grade of 68.3, and could provide an instant upgrade.

THIS RETURN BY @MecoleHardman4 🔥

📺: #LACvsKC on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/iTs8HMaXlh pic.twitter.com/X3JbPQDss1
— NFL (@NFL) October 22, 2023

After an All-Pro season as a kick returner in 2022, Keisean Nixon's production has dipped massively. He has an average PFF grade of just 60.3 as a returner in the last two seasons, due to a combination of opponents keeping the ball away from him, and poor decisions by Nixon, likely made out of frustration at a lack of opportunities.

Nixon intimated during his most recent session with the media that he did not want to return kicks anymore, and instead wanted to focus on being a cornerback, a role in which he has become more important to Green Bay.

While LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst played down Nixon's comments, Hardman is a serviceable, if unspectacular kick returner, with a 62.2 career PFF grade, if the Packers choose to utilize him in that role.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 3 reasons why Packers signed Mecole Hardman: Change coming in Jayden Reed's role?

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