Mecole Hardman’s return to the field might finally unlock the Bills’ special teams chaos that’s haunted them all season.QQ

Before his injury, Mecole Hardman hinted at untapped value for a Bills team searching for any edge in a crowded AFC race.

It’s understandable if you assumed the Buffalo Bills section in Mecole Hardman’s Wikipedia page has already been written. A one-sentence summation of a roster move that featured Hardman’s dramatic signed-then-injured turn midway through the 2025 campaign. That is, after all, what has happened to date, but it’d be a mistake to think the relationship (or potential impact) is over.

In the last 10 days, the Bills signed Hardman to the team’s practice squad after placing rookie pass rusher Landon Jackson on injured reserve. Hardman was promoted quickly to the active roster in time to suit up for the team’s Week 11 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a game in which the veteran receiver ripped off a 61-yard return in his first official touch with the team.

Then came the quick fall back to earth. A muffed punt return in the second half gave way to a calf injury that required medical attention from the Bills’ training staff on the sideline. Hardman’s injury kept him sidelined, and on Thursday, he was placed on Buffalo’s injured reserve list, meaning he’s out for at least four games.

Before his injury, Hardman hinted at untapped value for a Bills team searching for any edge in a crowded AFC race.

Given the timing of the injury and his newness to the whole enterprise, it’d make sense to think Hardman was a footnote in a frustrating season in Buffalo, one in which the annual contender has been staring up at the New England Patriots in the AFC East after years of dominating a cupcake division. It’s not as if Hardman was signed to be anything more than gift-stop flowers for the patient, a feel-good bit of extra security who might add something on special teams.

But Hardman’s lone spark in Week 11 shows that he’s still got some juice, and the Bills could definitely use it. The Bills benched primary returner Brandon Codrington earlier this year, although he’s still available, and replaced him with Hardman for his lone showing. As the team ranked dead last in punt returns in the entire NFL (5.2 yards/return average), there’s plenty of room for improvement.

Running back Ray Davis had a scintillating kickoff return for a touchdown in Week 12’s loss to the Houston Texans, giving a special teams spark to a team that needed one. However, no one should think Hardman as an already-replaced product. Hardman’s first return was impactful just days after signing as an off-the-streets free agent. Given time to heal and get back into game shape, Hardman could absolutely make a late-season impact at a pivotal juncture for Buffalo.

The AFC’s wild-card jostling is going to go down to the wire, with the Kansas City Chiefs, L.A. Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens clamoring for precious few spots at the present time. Special teams play can make all the difference in a close game, and Hardman’s scheduled return could come in those last couple of important contests.

Hardman’s history of special teams impact and championship experience after spending several years in Kansas City could give Buffalo a vital edge down the stretch. Instead of a footnote, Hardman’s hoping there’s plenty more to write about in Buffalo.