Chiefs’ Mecole Hardman can be much more than a gadget receiver in 2022

There are some misconceptions about Kansas Metropolis Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman heading into the 2022 NFL season.

Just one of the most recurrent misconceptions is the thought that Hardman only thrives as a gadget receiver. That is to say that he wants produced touches, normally at the rear of the line of scrimmage, in order to have achievements in Andy Reid’s offense. Points like display screen passes, reverses and so on.

There is no denying this certain part has been a large aspect of his recreation about the past three seasons. Final yr, he even excelled at it, recording a whopping 487 yards following the capture, very good for seventh-most amongst receivers in the NFL’s frequent season. He will go on to have results in the purpose, but it will not be the only job for him in Kansas Metropolis transferring forward.

Hardman does not have a ton of encounter acting as the team’s direct receiver with Tyreek Hill on the sidelines, but when he’s had the opportunity, he flashed. Back again in 2019, Hardman’s ordinary depth of goal was 12.25 from 7 days 2 by way of 7 days 5 when Hill was out with a sternoclavicular joint dislocation. This is to say that on common, he was catching passes more than 12 yards past the line of scrimmage. Hardman’s typical depth of goal extrapolated about the course of a year would have been excellent for 36th in the NFL. Hill, who is acknowledged as the league’s leading deep danger, has by no means had a lot more than 12.9 ordinary depth of concentrate on in a single season.

For reference, Marquez Valdes-Scantling has led the NFL in average depth of goal in each of the earlier two seasons (around 18 each time). It’s challenging to think about Hardman hitting Valdes-Scantling’s quantities (specifically when they are on the similar team), but it is not unreasonable to consider he could at the very least match the league normal (all-around 10 yards) in a period with a greater share of prospects.

If that is not plenty of proof that Hardman can excel as far more than a gadget receiver, contemplate how excellent he is at producing separation. Past time, Hardman’s goal separation from male coverage ranked the second-very best in the NFL amongst receivers for each PlayerProfiler.com with 2.83 yards of separation for every concentrate on. Mainly, in man protection predicaments where by he was qualified, Hardman was getting open up with some of the greatest frequency in the NFL.

But wait, there is even far more.

You could not consider of Hardman as an elite target in the pink zone mainly because of his dimension and skillset. He only had a 6% contested catch price past 12 months, which is not extremely superior. But he also concluded 16th in the NFL with 16 targets and 9 receptions in the pink zone. Two of these receptions resulted in touchdowns and the rest served the Chiefs get into situation to put up points.

It’s comprehensible that people are skeptical of Hardman soon after his 1st 3 seasons in the league. There are also loads of motives to be optimistic that he can prosper in an expanded function exactly where he’s requested to do more than he was in prior seasons.