Who Should I Start? Mecole Hardman or Tyquan Thornton

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.

Monday, November 18, 4:33 PM

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad on Monday, according to a source. The former second-rounder in 2022 out of Baylor will now get another opportunity with the defending Super Bowl champions after the Patriots waived him on Saturday. The 24-year-old caught 35 of his 68 targets for 338 yards and two touchdowns in 22 games (12 starts) in his first two years in New England before catching just four passes on eight targets for 47 yards in six games with the Patriots this year. Thornton certainly has some more intrigue in KC, but it remains to be seen if he can work his way into a big enough role down the stretch for the Chiefs. As things stand now, the Chiefs have a receiving corps that includes DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, rookie Xavier Worthy, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson.