The Chicago Bears are showing interest in a three-time Super Bowl champion and veteran wide receiver in NFL free agency on the same day they announced they had signed another pass-catcher to their roster for the 2025 season.
According to March 17’s NFL’s official transaction wire, the Bears hosted former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. on Monday for a free-agent visit, eyeing him as a potential pass-catching addition to help quarterback Caleb Williams in 2025.
Hardman has won three Super Bowl championships with the Chiefs since entering the league in 2019, catching the game-winning touchdown in their overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 Super Bowl. He has also tallied 178 career catches for 2,301 yards and 16 touchdowns and thrived as a return specialist in his six seasons.
The Bears also visited with former Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Rondale Moore on Monday, emphasizing their interest in speed and return capabilities. Moore — a 2021 second-round pick — missed the entire 2024 season with a knee injury.
The Bears’ interest in Hardman and Moore comes on the heels of them signing veteran wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus to their roster, a move they announced Monday.
After signing Zaccheaus, the Bears now have seven wide receivers signed to their 2025 roster, including D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze and Tyler Scott. They also signed Samori Toure, John Jackson III and Maurice Alexander to reserve/future contracts.
Mecole Hardman Could Replace DeAndre Carter’s Role
The Bears secured a potential No. 3 wide receiver for their offense when they signed Zaccheaus to a one-year contract for the 2025 season. They needed someone to help bolster the depth at the position with veteran Keenan Allen hitting free agency, and he had a strong year working with quarterback Jayden Daniels and Washington in 2024.
When it comes to Hardman and Moore, though, the Bears are more likely looking at them as potential replacements for veteran return special DeAndre Carter in 2025.
Carter spent the majority of the 2024 season as the Bears’ top return specialist after Velus Jones Jr. fumbled away his first opportunity in Week 1’s season opener. In 13 games, Carter returned 17 punts (9.3 yards per return) and 15 kickoffs (31.9 yards per return) for the Bears, but he suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 14’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers — an injury that cast doubt on him returning in 2025.
While the Bears could still circle back to Carter — especially since Richard Hightower is returning as special teams coordinator and has gotten a lot of say over the bottom of the roster — Hardman and Moore are both younger and faster fits for the return role.
Hardman is the more dynamic returner of the two free-agent visitors. He has returned 89 career punts (9.2 yards per return) and 132 career kickoffs (26.4 yards per return), scoring a touchdown in each category over his six seasons. He also just turned 27.
How Heavily Will Bears Target WR Talent in NFL Draft?
The Bears could sign either Hardman or Moore in the coming days if they feel one of them is equipped to fortify their receiving corps and add a weapon on special teams.
Even if they do, though, the Bears need to acquire more receiving talent in the 2025 NFL draft next month. The question is: How heavily will they target receivers?
The Bears have both of their starters, Moore and Odunze, locked up for at least the next three seasons, but Scott — a 2023 fourth-round pick — is the only other receiver they have under contract beyond the 2025 season, and he caught just one pass last season.
To remedy that, the Bears could target another wideout on Day 3 of the draft with either their fifth-round selection or one of their two seventh-round picks. They could also take a more ambitious approach and secure another potential starter in the first two days of the draft, more likely than not on Day 2 — when they have two seconds and a third.
With new head coach Ben Johnson at the helm, though, it is not out of the question that the Bears could target a wide receiver in the first round. If Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan is available at No. 10 overall — or, more plausibly for the Bears, available after a trade down from the 10th pick — the Bears may feel he is too good of a prospect to pass up.
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