Jets trade WR Mecole Hardman to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a last-minute pick…just months after signing him to a $4 million contract in free agency

New York is also sending a 2025 seventh-round pick to KC along with Hardmon.

Hardman won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs before signing a one-year $4 million contracts with the Jets in free agency this offseason.

The 25-year-old never seemed to mesh with Jets coached however and was surpassed on the depth chart by undrafted rookie and Hard Knocks star Xavier Gipson.

Hardman only played 28 snaps and had one reception during his short time with the Jets.

He was listed as inactive despite being fully healthy during the Week 5 win over the Denver Broncos.

The Chiefs had originally selected Hardman in the second round of the 2019 draft, and he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie as a return specialist.

Hardman gradually became a bigger part of the Kansas City offense, taking advantage of prolific passer Patrick Mahomes, and wound up making 151 catches for 2,088 yards and 16 touchdowns over four seasons with the Chiefs.

During 2021 he set career highs with 59 receptions for 693 yards, although his career high for touchdowns came in 2019 when he scored six of them.

Hardman previously expressed frustrations with his lack of usage during an interview when he said:  ‘I’m probably the best in the league in space.’

‘Maybe [the coaches] see something different. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I think when I was in K.C., I proved that I was probably the most dangerous guy on the jet sweep or whether it be on the end around or on the screen. I think I proved year-out that I was that guy that you had to worry about doing that.’

He also recently admitted he was open to leaving the team in search of playing time, but stopped short of publicly requesting a trade.

‘I just want to play, get on the field. Whether it’s here or somewhere else is not up to me,’ Hardman stated.

Kanas City’s receiving core has failed to live up to expectations this season in Hardman’s absence, so chances are high that he will be welcomed back with open arms

Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who is making more than the rest of their wide receivers combined, has failed to make an impact, and the Chiefs lost Justin Watson for the short-term after he bruised an elbow last week against Denver.

Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney have also failed to take the steps forward in their growth as players and combined with Valdes-Scantling the trio have a combined  35 catches, 353 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Rookie second-round pick Rashee Rice leads the team’s receiving core with 21 catches, 245 yards, and two touchdowns.

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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid suggested he set Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift up and welcomed her support despite her previous NFL allegiance to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The worlds of sports and pop culture have combined recently as fans worked themselves in a frenzy by the rumours that Kelce and Swift had linked up. Their relationship has since been confirmed by a series of public appearances, including a dinner date after taping ’Saturday Night Live’ in New York on Saturday.

Despite Kelce scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl win over Philadelphia, Swift was known to be a renowned Eagles fan as she referenced the NFC East franchise in song. However, she has appeared at several Chiefs games with Kansas City undefeated in games Swift has attended.

When asked by former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb if he was a “Swiftie” on “The Five Spot” podcast, Reid said: “You know what, like you I knew her from Philadelphia. Her dad is a big NFL fan so I had met her when she was real young. I joked about setting Kelce up but I’m just saying…