Ahead of their Week 17 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Buffalo Bills made a handful of roster moves. They signed tight end Keleki Latu from the practice squad to the active roster, while also elevating defensive end Andre Jones Jr. and kicker Michael Badgley. In the process of those adjustments, Buffalo also released former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr.

Fast forward to now, and Hardman is back in the building, this time on the practice squad. Whether he gets activated for the regular-season finale against the New York Jets remains up in the air. But at the very least, there’s now a real possibility that his stint in Buffalo doesn’t end after just a couple of appearances.

Before being released the first time, Hardman suited up in only two games for the Bills. During that stretch, he logged four offensive snaps, nine special teams snaps, and spent four games on injured reserve. His first appearance came in Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

That debut started on a high note. Hardman’s first touch went for a 61-yard kickoff return, instantly flashing the explosiveness Buffalo hoped to tap into. But the momentum didn’t last. He suffered a calf injury in the third quarter, couldn’t finish the game, and was placed on injured reserve, sidelining him for roughly a month.

However, Hardman eventually returned in Week 16, but his role was minimal. He played just two special teams snaps in the win over the Cleveland Browns, didn’t see the field on offense, and was released shortly after, ahead of Week 17. Now, he’s back on the practice squad once again. Whether that leads to a Week 18 appearance or not remains to be seen. Meanwhile, it’s not hard to argue why the Bills have re-signed Hardman to the practice squad. After all, Josh Allen’s receiving corps hasn’t been that elite this season.

Josh Allen’s receiving corps has been underwhelming this season

In the first decade of the 21st century, the Buffalo Bills rolled out some serious names at wide receiver. Think of Eric Moulds, Peerless Price, Josh Reed, Lee Evans, and even Terrell Owens. Later on, after Josh Allen arrived in Buffalo, things unraveled quickly, as the Bills’ offense rarely struck fear into opponents.

The reason is pretty straightforward. Back then, Buffalo had capable, sometimes even elite, receivers, but they didn’t have a quarterback like Allen to maximize them. Fast forward to now, and the situation has flipped. The Bills finally have their franchise quarterback, but they no longer have elite wide receivers, especially after moving on from Stefon Diggs.

That’s exactly why the 2025 season has felt underwhelming for Buffalo’s wideout group. There’s no true WR1. And the numbers make that hard to argue against. As it stands, Buffalo’s leading wide receiver is Khalil Shakir, who’s posted 72 catches, 719 yards, and four touchdowns in 16 games. That’s solid production. But in the context of today’s NFL, it’s far from threatening.

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And once you move past Shakir, the drop-off is steep. Keon Coleman has just 355 yards in 12 games, Joshua Palmer sits at 302 yards in 11 games, and Tyrell Shavers has 245 yards across 16 games. That’s not a wide receiver room that scares defenses. With only one game left in the regular season and the playoffs looming, Allen and the Bills can’t suddenly reinvent the receiving corps.

Instead, they’ll likely hope James Cook can generate enough offense to carry the load in games that matter most. As for the wide receiver group itself, all signs point to a rebuild coming in the offseason.