Who Should I Start? DJ Moore or Mecole Hardman

Thursday, June 5, 6:39 PM

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore is unsure exactly what his specific role is going to be in new head coach Ben Johnson's offense in 2025. Moore finished with a career-low 56.8 receiving yards per game while catching 98 of his 140 targets for 966 yards and six touchdowns in 17 starts. The 28-year-old had a career-best 1,364 receiving yards and a career-high eight touchdowns in his first year in Chicago with Justin Fields at quarterback, but he struggled to gel with Caleb Williams in his rookie season, especially early on. "Right now I don't have goals because I'm still learning everything and I don't even know if I'm going to touch the ball as much as I did some years or if I'm going to be used the same way," Moore said. He could be used in the slot, but the Bears also added tight end Colston Loveland and receiver Luther Burden III in this year's draft.

Tuesday, March 18, 9:06 PM

Free-agent wide receiver/return specialist Mecole Hardman (knee) is signing an undisclosed one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday, a source tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Hardman will take his speed to the Packers while contributing both on offense and special teams as a kick returner. The 27-year-old former second-rounder (56th overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 out of the University of Georgia caught only 12 of 14 targets for 90 yards and no touchdowns while carrying the ball five times for 62 yards and a touchdown in 12 regular-season games before suffering a knee injury in December that landed him on Injured Reserve. The Packers could use the receiver depth with Christian Watson (knee) likely to miss around half of the 2025 season, but Hardman could struggle for consistent involvement in Green Bay's offense, much like he did in KC, behind Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs.