Who Should I Start? Mecole Hardman or Efton Chism III

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.

Saturday, August 16, 6:52 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III caught all six of his targets for 71 yards and a touchdown during Saturday's preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings. Chism is an undrafted free agent who is competing for a spot on New England's 53-man roster. All of his catches Saturday came in the first half, making his performance even more remarkable. The rookie didn't play in the second half of the game, most likely due to his strong first half. The Patriots' TV broadcast speculated that Chism made the team with his big showing, and they also noted that he was receiving some attention from a trainer, which will be a storyline to follow going forward. Head coach Mike Vrabel and vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf both prioritized speaking favorably about Chism during their respective television interviews, which is another good sign as he competes for a roster spot. It's also worth noting that Chism attended Eastern Washington, which is the same school where Cooper Kupp played. Chism broke many of Kupp's records with the Eagles program, and now he looks to make an impact at the NFL level.