What's wrong with Mecole Hardman - Part 2

[dlphg9]

Spoiler alert!

Nothing is wrong with him! Unless you consider Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce as being a problem.

Mecole was 3rd on the team in targets (62), rec yards (560), and rec TDs (4). Those stats are right in line with any other teams 3rd most productive receiver and none of those other teams had 2 guys that were 1st team AP in front of that guy.

Green Bay Packers #1 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Robert Tonyan - 59 targets, 52 rec, 586 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 212
Rec - 148
Yards - 2064

Buffalo Bills #2 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Gabriel Davis - 62 targets, 35 rec, 599 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 273
Rec - 209
Yards - 2502

Tampa Bay Buccaneers #3 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Rob Gronkowski - 77 targets, 45 rec, 623 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 193
Rec - 135
Yards - 1846

Tennessee Titans #4 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Jonnu Smith - 65 targets, 41 rec, 448 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 198
Rec - 135
Yards - 2059

New Orleans Saints #5 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Jared Cook - 60 targets, 37 rec, 504 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 189
Rec - 144
Yards - 1482

Baltimore Ravens #7 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Willie Snead - 48 targets, 33 rec, 432 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 188
Rec - 116
Yards - 1470

Seattle Seahawks #8 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
David Moore - 47 targets, 35 rec, 417 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 261
Rec - 183
Yards - 2357

Indianapolis Colts #9 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Michael Pittman Jr. - 61 targets, 40 rec, 503 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 164
Rec - 99
Yards - 1391

Las Vegas Raiders #10 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Hunter Renfrow - 77 targets, 56 rec, 656 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 227
Rec - 155
Yards - 2092

Average for top 10 scoring offense's 3rd most productive receiving option :

Targets - 62
Receptions - 41
Yards - 530

Average for top 10 scoring offense's top 2 most productive receiving options combined :

Targets - 212
Receptions - 147
Yards - 1918


This is how Hardman stacks up against the other teams 3rd receiving option

Targets - 62 (62 avg)
Receptions - 41 (41 avg)
Yards - 560 (530 avg)

Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce combined

Targets - 280 (most in group)
Receptions - 192 (2nd most in group)
Yards - 2692 (most in group)

So what we can see from these stats above is that nothing is up with Mecole Hardman. His targets and reception matched the average of the 9 other top offenses 3rd receiving option and he was above average in yards, but the big huge difference is Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill just happen to be on the same team as him. Those two have 68 more combined targets, 45 more combined receptions, and 774 more combined yards than the others teams top 2 receiving threats.

TLDR;

Nothing is wrong, he's right in line with the other teams 3rd most productive pass catchers. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are monsters and the best pass catching duo in a long ass time.

PS:

Seriously Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are so good! There was only 11 QBs with more TD passes than those 2 had receiving TDs.

PSS:

****ing Cam Newton started 15 games and had 45 less passing yards than Hill and Kelce had rec yards in the same amount of games!

PSSS:

****ing MVP Lamar had 65 more passing yards than Hill and Kelce had rec yards and they tied for the same amount of passing TDs to receiving TDs.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The thing is, put Hardman in McLaurin's situation and McLaurin in KC and we might be having this conversation in reverse.

You can't just look at things in a vacuum. Hardman's development may be hindered by the team dynamic itself. We just don't know.

You could also argue that McLaurins development was hampered by being drafted to a dog shit team.

I don't believe for a second Hardman would be better in another offense than he is here. It's not like his play isn't popping off the page just because he shares the field with Hill and Kelce. It's because he makes the worst kind of mental mistakes and because it really seems like him and Mahomes are nowhere on the same page. It's also that most of his best players are plays where Reid draws up a play just for him rather than him running a route and being open organically because he read the defense right and made the right option or because he flat out beat the corner. That's the difference between him and someone like McLaurin. McLaurin just flat out beats corners, he doesn't need the OC to run a pitch play or screen in order to get success out of him.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Which suggests there might be something about the system that is an issue and not just Mecole Hardman. See what I'm getting at?

It's because outside of Hardman, we really haven't invested a high pick on WRs. And even with Hardman he was a project. So I don't think it's the system, it's that we're trying to insert projects and low round WRs in the system and praying it works out.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by -King-

It's because outside of Hardman, we really haven't invested a high pick on WRs. And even with Hardman he was a project. So I don't think it's the system, it's that we're trying to insert projects and low round WRs in the system and praying it works out.

Well, that's still the "process" not the player.

[FloridaMan88]

The Chiefs were trying too hard to draft a Tyreek Hill-type player with Hardman when they thought at the time Tyreek's NFL future was in doubt.

Thank God the Chiefs never had to ultimately deal with the scenario of having to replace Tyreek with Hardman.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Thank God the Chiefs never had to ultimately deal with the scenario of having to replace Tyreek with Hardman.

That would have been a major disaster...that's why you don't draft like that. Veach blew that pick because he was doing it out of desperation.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by -King-

You could also argue that McLaurins development was hampered by being drafted to a dog shit team.

I don't believe for a second Hardman would be better in another offense than he is here. It's not like his play isn't popping off the page just because he shares the field with Hill and Kelce. It's because he makes the worst kind of mental mistakes and because it really seems like him and Mahomes are nowhere on the same page. It's also that most of his best players are plays where Reid draws up a play just for him rather than him running a route and being open organically because he read the defense right and made the right option or because he flat out beat the corner. That's the difference between him and someone like McLaurin. McLaurin just flat out beats corners, he doesn't need the OC to run a pitch play or screen in order to get success out of him.

Yeah, I get it.

I didn't say I believe it either. I just don't think we can know.

The Hardman situation is what it is and I personally put at least some of the blame on the team and the situation he's been put in. That being said, he hasn't developed and a lot of that is on him.

Next year is year 3. For WR's, especially in Reid's offense, that's the magic year. If he doesn't bust out this year, he's likely playing out his rookie contract and moving on. So we'll know sooner rather than later I believe.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

That would have been a major disaster...that's why you don't draft like that. Veach blew that pick because he was doing it out of desperation.

The team knew he wasn't going to be charged and they knew that the secretly recorded audio was a big pile of nothing when it came to criminal charges. They suspended Hill due to the video, because it was April and absolutely no harm would come from suspending him for a short period of time in the off-season and they knew the SJW dbags would be up in arms. They had to settle that uproar.

The team knew that Hill was in the clear and would be available for almost every game at the very least. They were also able to save a bunch of money with this happening. Mecole was drafted to keep Mahomes supplied with talent. Hell they had to figure we were losing all of our WRs that that contributed, besides Hill. If all would have went like they thought it would, then

Conley, who started 13 games in 2018 was gone

Demarcus Robinson was a FA after 2019 and was likely gone

Sammy Watkins was going to either be released in 2019 or take a pay cut and play for us 1 more year after that, but he'd be gone after 2020.

So Veach and the boys were looking at the future of our receiving corps and saw Tyreek Hill as the only legitimate WR on the roster after the 2020 season. Veach has made it incredibly clear that he wants Pat to have weapons around him. Veach also knows that money is going to be incredibly tight with a ton of big contracts/extensions coming up within the next 2 years.

That off-season

Frank Clark just signed for $100 mil
Tyreek Hill was gonna get a decent contract extension

The next off-season we were gonna see some huge extensions

Patrick Mahomes
Travis Kelce
Chris Jones

So no damn money to sign any WRs, so how else could we possibly fill those needs with basically no extra cap room? Through the draft. He drafts Hardman as a project that will develop and learn behind Hill, Watkins, and Kelce for a full year or 2 under the right circumstance.

How does this scenario sound less realistic than Veach panicked and picked Hardmans out of fear and convinced himself that he was going to replace 1500 yds 12 tds with a guy that had only been playing WR for 2 years?

Veach is clearly very good at having a plan and sticking to it, but what Veach didn't plan for was COVID taking away Hardman's 2nd off-season of camps. I'd say that 2nd year is when the players learn the most, because I bet the first year is pretty hectic and stressful for a lot of guys, but a lot of guys were screwed out of that. I'd bet that slowed the development of a project guy like Hardman, a guy that was a QB throughout HS, then a FB his freshmen season in college. He was only a WR for 2 years of his life and was then drafted to play against the best players in the world.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Remember when we drafted him and I said it was a big mistake based on who else was available and that he was just a fast guy who played football. Yeah I member. You guys jumped down my throat because I didn't pump out the pure positivity that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Just because he’s not a star doesn’t mean he was a bad draft choice. He’s not a bust.

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Just because he’s not a star doesn’t mean he was a bad draft choice. He’s not a bust.

Hes not, but I'd also rather have someone who doesn't make as many mental mistakes as he does. Especially in big moments. Doesn't matter if he's only known the position for a few years, doesn't matter if he lost a training camp.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by Hoover

This just supports my opinion that spending a high draft pick on a WR when you already have to get the ball to Hill, Kelce, Hardman, and CEH, is not wise. Not enough balls to go around.

Having a good third option would help counter the double teams.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

I think most peoples frustration with Mecole is him getting chewed on by Mahomes after a third and medium when the other two were double teamed, and Hardman usaully doesnt look for the ball or looks too late or just keeps streaking down the sideline instead of sitting down between zones.

He needs to spend this off season training with tyreek and improving his hands, routes and reads. He could be a Welker and tear up the middle. If Patrick is running, go to the opening.

He won't see a second contract from us unless he improves.

Still optimistic though.

I really want to trade up to ten and grab that top te this year.

[ThyKingdomCome15]

He still hasn't learned to keep running and he goes down fast on first contact. Obviously he's not playing up to his potential. But I definitely think he'll grow as a player and get better. Disappointing to think we could had DK Metcalf.

[Rasputin]

Tyrann Mathieu believes Mecole Hardman is ‘hungrier than he’s ever been’
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2021/...-hes-ever-been



Yeah **** the haters. He seeks out Tyrann to make himself a better football player.

I think he's going have his best season yet and really give us a show with what he can do with his speed and help get Tyreek open because how they going cover them and Travis?

[R Clark]

Originally Posted by Rasputin

Tyrann Mathieu believes Mecole Hardman is ‘hungrier than he’s ever been’
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2021/...-hes-ever-been



Yeah **** the haters. He seeks out Tyrann to make himself a better football player.

I think he's going have his best season yet and really give us a show with what he can do with his speed and help get Tyreek open because how they going cover them and Travis?

Think all you want it still ain’t coming true

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by R Clark

Think all you want it still ain’t coming true

This is ****ing dumb. The guy has been playing the WR position for just a few years and has a ton of upside.

I know this is news for some of you, but some draft picks take time and development to reach their potential, and it’s not like he hasn’t flashed and made plenty of plays his first 2 years.

Maybe give the guy a full/normal offseason before you completely give up on him? Not everybody is Tyreek Hill.