Chiefs Rumors: Travis Kelce update, Justyn Ross exposure, trade looming?
- Will Travis Kelce play in Week 6?
- Justyn Ross receiving rave reviews from Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes
- Could the Chiefs reunite with a former player?
By Scott Rogust
Chiefs rumors: Could Kansas City reunite with former wide receiver?
The Kansas City Chiefs have had plenty of turnover at the wide receiver position in recent years. After the 2021 season, the team traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. Then, after their Super Bowl-winning campaign last year, the Chiefs watched JuJu Smith-Schuster sign a three-year contract with the New England Patriots. So, the Chiefs have a relatively young wide receiving corps, with some amid their development.
If the Chiefs wanted to bolster up at the trade deadline, there is a familiar face now available.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the New York Jets are "looking at options for Mecole Hardman, including a potential trade." Hardman was signed by the Jets this past offseason on a one-year, $4 million contract.
Hardman was another wide receiver that the Chiefs lost via free agency after Super Bowl 57. The thing is, Hardman was rarely used by the Jets, hence the team looking to trade him. So, what would it take for the Chiefs to reacquire their former speedster wide receiver?
FanSided senior editor Mark Powell took a crack at what could get a deal done, and the price wouldn't be much. Specifically, a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.
"Acquiring Hardman could be counter-intuitive for KC," writes Powell. "It's still early enough in the season for the Chiefs to solve such an issue in-house, rather than relying on Hardman. It also means less snaps for some of those same young players the Chiefs hope to develop the next few years.
"Were the Chiefs to trade for Hardman, it likely wouldn't come at a severe expense. A sixth-round pick should get the job done, especially since Hardman isn't receiving much playing time."
Hardman does have knowledge of the Chiefs offense, so it would be a seamless trade for Kansas City to make. The thing is, as Powell points out, it could prevent young receivers like Skyy Moore, Rashee Rice, and Justyn Ross from developing while playing significant snaps.
With Hardman available on the trade block, it will be interesting to see where he might end up for the second half of the season.