Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman was placed on injured reserve Saturday. He will miss at least four games due to a sprained right thumb.
It has been a season of wideout issues for the Chiefs, who will go without Kadarius Toney on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. He was ruled out as he manages hip and ankle injuries.
Hardman injured his thumb during the Chiefs’ Week 11 game, a 21-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Concerns surrounding the Chiefs receiving corps took center stage most recently during that contest.
Down by four points, MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes threw a deep pass to wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling for the win. With less than two minutes remaining in the game, the ball bounced off his fingers and he tripped within five yards of the end zone.
The Chiefs traded for Hardman last month after the Jets picked him up in free agency last offseason. The team reportedly sent the New York Jets a sixth-round pick in exchange for Hardman and a seventh-round pick. In the deal, the 25-year-old was reunited with the team that selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. During his rookie season with the Chiefs, his prowess as a returner earned him a Pro Bowl nod and he went on to win two Super Bowls with Kansas City.
Between the Jets and Chiefs this season, the former Georgia Bulldog has recorded nine receptions on 13 targets for 47 yards. After four games with Kansas City this season, Hardman ranks sixth among the team’s receivers.
Toney is right above him, recording 22 receptions on 30 targets for 139 yards in 10 contests. He started the 2023 campaign as the face of the team’s problems at the wideout position, dropping three passes in a season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions. The uncharacteristic performance came after Toney’s status was questionable heading into the game due to surgery he underwent to repair his meniscus in the offseason.
Aside from star tight end Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice leads the team in receptions. The rookie…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/chiefs-wr-mecole-hardman-lands-on-ir-with-sprained-thumb-203735638.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2023-11-25 20:37:35
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