Jets sign wide receiver Mecole Hardman and trade Elijah Moore to Cleveland

Mecole Hardman (YouTube)

The New York Jets continued to tinker with their offense on Wednesday. They signed wide receiver Mecole Hardman of Bowman, Georgia to a one-year contract worth $6.5 million, and traded wide receiver Elijah Moore of Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the Cleveland Browns with a third round draft pick in the 2023 National Football League Draft for a second round draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft according to spotrac.com.

Hardman becomes the second wide receiver to join the Jets in free agency. On March 14, they signed Allen Lazard to a four-year deal worth $44 million, after he played the last five seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

The Jets are the second NFL franchise Hardman has played for. He previously played four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2022, Hardman had 25 catches for 297 yards and four touchdowns. In Hardman’s career, he has 151 catches for 2088 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Hardman had a breakout rookie season as he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2020 after having 538 receiving yards and a career-high six touchdowns.

However, Hardman did not play in the Pro Bowl, because he won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs instead. In Super Bowl LIV, the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 31-20. Hardman had four catches for 29 yards in the 2020 NFL postseason. Then, Hardman won his second Super Bowl with the Chiefs this past February as Kansas City beat Philadelphia 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII. In the 2022 postseason, Hardman had two catches for 10 yards.

Moore had 37 catches for 446 yards and one touchdown with the Jets in 2022. His touchdown came in a 31-10 Jets win over the Chicago Bears on November 27 as he caught a 22 yard pass from Jets quarterback Mike White. Moore has 80 catches for 984 yards and six touchdowns in two NFL seasons so far.

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