The Buffalo Bills are shaking up their wide receiving corps just one day before what could be a make-or-break game for their divisional hopes.
The Bills are set to host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, needing some wins and some help if they want to overtake the New England Patriots for the lead in the AFC East. The Bills kicked off the weekend by releasing veteran receiver Mecole Hardman, a midseason addition who failed to find a spot on the depth chart.
Bills Release Mecole Hardman One Day Before Game
The Bills announced on Saturday that they parted ways with Hardman. The former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver signed with the team in November but was hurt in his first game and placed on injured reserve. He returned in last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns but had no targets.
Hardman ended his season in Buffalo with one target, no catches, and one fumble on a punt return.
Hardman’s release could be good news for another newly added wide receiver, Brandin Cooks, who has struggled with consistency. Cooks had two big drops, leading SI.com writer Alex Brasky to suggest that the team could bench him for the playoffs in favor of Hardman.
“Moving forward, the Billsâ wide receiver corps should consist of Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Tyrell Shavers, Gabe Davis, and Mecole Hardman due to his special teams contributions,” Brasky wrote. “Itâs not a great group, but itâs a collection that has proven, at the very least, to be a bit more reliable than Coleman and Cooks have been this season.”
The Bills had signed Hardman after they came up short at the NFL trade deadline. General manager Brandon Beane said the Bills couldn’t find any partners willing to make a deal, but added Hardman and Cooks in a pair of moves to boost the wide receiving corps and give more weapons to quarterback Josh Allen.
The Bills will likely have the option to bring Hardman back to the active roster or practice squad later in the season. The veteran wide receiver didn’t have much interest in free agency before signing with the Bills, and would have just one more week to find a team before the end of the regular season.
Bills Add Tight End Help
The Bills made some other moves on Saturday, including the elevation of tight end Keleki Latu from the practice squad. Both of the team’s top tight ends — Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox — were listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Eagles after suffering knee injuries.
Sunday’s game could have major playoff implications. The Bills will need to win one more game than the Patriots over the final two weeks of the season in order to win the AFC East for a sixth straight season.
The Bills also elevated defensive end Andre Jones Jr. and kicker Michael Badgley from the practice squad. Head coach Sean McDermott said on Friday that kicker Matt Prater would miss Sunday’s game, leaving the recently signed Badgley to resume kicking duties.
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