Latest Chiefs rumors could rid Kansas City of a Super Bowl hero

The Kansas City Chiefs offseason has been an active one, specifically in the wide receiver room. KC signed Hollywood Brown just last week, and have let the likes of Marquez Valdes-Scantling walk.

While Mecole Hardman can get a free beer in Kansas City any time his heart desires thanks to his game-winning touchdown catch to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, he's also caused a few headaches this offseason.

Kansas City let Hardman walk last offseason, as he signed a contract with the New York Jets. When things didn't work out with the Jets, Hardman landed back in the Kansas City at the trade deadline and hopped aboard a Super Bowl bandwagon with some old friends.

Mecole Hardman was a Chiefs Super Bowl hero, but more recently a headache

If that's exactly how things went down, then the Chiefs wouldn't have a problem. However, Hardman's comments about his Jets departure and eventual trade raised some eyebrows in the league office.

"I'm telling you right now, I was so checked out, like, it was over with. I had already talked to [Chiefs GM Brett] Veach and Pat [Mahomes], like, 'Come get me,'" Hardman said.

Tamparing is largely accepted within league circles. As much as the NFL tries to stop it, there is no way to completely eliminate this problem. That being said, Roger Goodell has come down hard on several teams of late, especially when the tampering involves big names. The Miami Dolphins were docked a first-round pick for tampering with Tom Brady. Thankfully, Hardman is not Brady.

Jets GM Joe Douglas took notice.

"I'll just say those comments definitely resonated with us," Douglas said.

Chiefs on the verge of dumping Mecole Hardman?

Arrowhead Pride analyst Mark Gunnels stated in his weekly column that the arrival of Brown could mean the end of Hardman's tenure in Kansas City. Gunnels went as far as to say he'd be surprised if Hardman returned.

“It’s just hard to see a role for him at this point," Gunnels continued.

Hardman shouldn't be too expensive on the open market, so there remains some potential that the Chiefs would want him back. However, some turnover in Kansas City's wide receiver room wouldn't be the worst idea in the world -- this is a group that severely underachieved last season, minus Rashee Rice and a select few others.

Brown, plus the likelihood of the Chiefs taking a wide receiver in the first few rounds of the NFL Draft, mean Hardman's days in KC are numbered.