The Buffalo Bills gave their wide receiver room a mid-season shakeup, signing veteran Mecole Hardman to give Josh Allen a new weapon and boost their return game.
But after a strong start with the team, the Bills will not see Hardman again for at least a month.
The team announced on Thursday that Hardman was going on injured reserve after suffering a calf injury during the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It leaves the Bills with a hole in their wide receiving corps that is exacerbated by the strained situation regarding receiver Keon Coleman.
Mecole Hardman Sidelined for at Least a Month
The Bills tried to add a wide receiver at the trade deadline but came up short, then added Hardman in free agency on Nov. 11. He was initially signed to the practice squad but joined the active roster four days later, immediately moving into a role as kick returner.
Hardman got off to a fast start, returning his first kickoff for 61 yards, but later fumbled a punt return before being sidelined by the calf injury. He did not practice during the week, then was placed on injured reserve just hours before the team’s Thursday game against the Houston Texans.
Hardman would be eligible to return in Week 16, but it’s not clear yet how long it will take for him to recover from the injury.
The veteran Hardman is a three-time Super Bowl champion during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs, racking up 2,302 career receiving yards with 16 touchdowns.
Prior to the injury, Bills head coach Sean McDermott hinted that the team had some creative plans for the speedy wide receiver.
âExcited about that,â McDermott said of Hardmanâs signing, via the Buffalo News. âYou look at position flexibility, he brings some of that. The speed element is real, having gone against him. He hasnât played in a little bit of time here, so we have to take it one day at a time, but Iâm really interested in seeing how heâs going to help us.â
Bills Facing More Uncertainty in Wide Receiver Room
The Bills have more uncertainty in their wide receiver room with Coleman, who has now been benched for two straight games. The second-year receiver was a healthy scratch for last week’s win over the Buccaneers after he reportedly missed a team practice, then was held out again in Thursday’s game against the Texans.
This week’s benching came as a surprise given that McDermott said he was happy with how Coleman responded to last week’s discipline. The Bills had just five healthy wide receivers going into the game, with both Hardman and fellow veteran Curtis Samuel out with injuries.
The Bills have struggled on offense at times, with receivers often failing to get separation and defenses putting pressure on Allen as a result.
The team does have one new targets, with veteran Gabe Davis recovered from the injury that cut short his 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has been elevated from the practice squad in each of the last two weeks.
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