Bills could initiate this Super Bowl winner to help in playoff run

With three games remaining in the regular season, the Buffalo Bills are starting to circle the wagons one wheel at a time. Last week, the team came off another second-half comeback against the New England Patriots to win 35-31 and keep their AFC East divisional hopes alive.

Quarterback Josh Allen and the defense carried the game in the second half to give the Bills their third victory in a row. If the Bills are serious about winning their sixth straight AFC East title, they are going to have to play a more complete game, which includes the entire offense.

The wide receiver core has been struggling lately, and this three-time Super Bowl winner could help this unit jumpstart the offense to further elevate Allen's passing game.

Bills contemplate activating intriguing wide receiver to 53-man roster

Having spent four weeks on Injured Reserve, the Bills are now able to call up wide receiver Mecole Hardman and open his practicing window with zero restrictions or limitations. However, the squad will have three weeks to either reinstate Hardman to the active roster or keep him on IR for the rest of the season.

The only problem is that the Bills have too many cooks in the kitchen with an abundance of wide receivers already activated. Recently, they chose to scratch Gabe Davis during Sunday's win over the Pats.

The Bills went with Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Brandin Cooks, and Tyrell Shavers, and came away with a four-point victory.

Why Hardman could be a gamechanger for Allen and the passing game

Hardman brings his 4.33 speed to the Bills' offense, and with the exception of working with Cooks, Hardman seemed like he was the only one who was catching deep passes before his injury. What he also brings is his ability to get it done in the return game, something right now occupied by Shakir and Ray Davis, the leader in the NFL in kick return yards.

While Davis can stay at that position, it would be ideal to let Shakir play wide receiver and Hardman handle returns once he is 100% healthy and feels ready.

Hardman joined the Bills in Week 11 before the November 16 home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He began with a tremendous 61-yard kickoff return. But in the third quarter, he fumbled the punt return, which led to him leaving the game with a calf injury.

What Hardman did while winning three Super Bowls in Kansas City

Yes, this year the Chiefs will not be in the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, but let's flash back to the beginning of a dynasty that included Hardman and three Lombardi Trophies. In the 2020 AFC Championship game, he showed his focus and resilience after losing a fumble, which set up a touchdown by tight end Dawson Knox.

The powerful receiver then bounced back with a receiving touchdown and a vital run of 50 yards to eliminate the Bills 38-24 and advance to Super Bowl LV. His claim to fame was when the Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowls after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

In Super Bowl LVIII, the Chiefs were trailing the San Francisco 49ers 22-19 in OT with the ball. Mahomes dropped back, and he threw the game-winning touchdown to Hardman, who caught it, and the Chiefs won the game and their second straight Lombardi Trophy in overtime, 25-22.

It was the first Super Bowl to use the new playoff overtime rules, where if the first team scores a field goal or touchdown, the other team gets a chance to either tie with a field goal or win it with a touchdown.

Hardman would depart with the Chiefs, tallying 288 yards and three touchdowns on 27 catches in 14 postseason games.

Maybe it's a good omen that Hardman is now on a Bills team that is still contending for a Super Bowl as opposed to being on a Chiefs team that saw their dynasty come to an end.