The Dallas Cowboys will be without one of their top players when the Green Bay Packers come to town in Week 4. Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s high-ankle sprain will force him to miss at least the next two games, putting a lot of pressure on the rest of the Cowboys’ WR room to step up in his absence.
As much as Dallas fans would love to see owner/general manager Jerry Jones add another wideout, that’s easier said than done once a season has begun. Still, releases are a part of the NFL experience, and one wideout who was just cut on Tuesday could be the answer to the Cowboys’ prayers.
Veteran wide receiver/returner Mecole Hardman was released from the Packers’ practice squad, per ESPN‘s Rob Demovsky. Not only would signing the NFL’s newest free agent help make Lamb’s injury easier to accept, but Hardman can help the Cowboys in multiple ways.
Cowboys Must Sign WR/Returner Mecole Hardman After Packers Release
Without a team to call his own, Hardman is now one of the NFL’s top free-agent wideouts. The former Georgia Bulldog has amassed 2,302 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns on 178 catches in 80 games (28 starts) with the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets, and that’s without mentioning the experience oozing from three Super Bowl rings.
Adding the downfield threat would make George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, and the rest of the Cowboys’ wideouts’ lives much easier. Even if it’s been five years since his last 600-yard campaign, Hardman’s speed will force opposing defenses to respect Dallas’ aerial assault even more.
A Hardman signing would also allow the Cowboys to use KaVontae Turpin more as a receiver, which is something they’ve already been doing. The gifted speedster is already averaging more offensive snaps (41%) compared to his three previous seasons (5%, 13%, and 27%), and it’s paid off to the tune of eight catches for 129 yards and a score.
The fact that Turpin hasn’t been as productive in special teams is another reason for the Cowboys to add Hardman, taking some pressure off the former. Despite seeing more than twice as many kick return attempts per game (3.3) compared to last season (1.6), Turpin’s average kick return yards per attempt have dropped from 33.5 to 23.0.
Meanwhile, Hardman just averaged a career-high 26.4 kick return yards in 2024, indicating that he could give the Cowboys’ special teams a huge boost. Having him could free Turpin up for more favorable return opportunities, especially with opponents not knowing which rapid returner to cover.
Teams must be reliable in every phase of the game to succeed in the NFL. While signing Hardman wouldn’t guarantee a Super Bowl run, the Cowboys would be a stronger team with him on the roster, and a low-risk/high-reward is something the 1-2 team can’t afford to turn down.
Besides, signing Hardman could give Dallas a tactical edge against Green Bay this weekend, as well as an opportunity to prove that the latter gave up too quickly. Those are more than enough reasons for the Cowboys to give the 27-year-old playmaker a fresh start.
