The Facts: Hardman has heard the talk after two NFL seasons: The only thing he has going for him is his 4.33 speed. He made it clear in the week leading up to Super Bowl LV that he's bothered by the suggestions he's something less than a complete receiver. "I can really run routes," Hardman said a few days before the Chiefs lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "That kind of makes me mad when people say, 'Oh, he's just a deep ball threat. ...' People have the misunderstanding that I can't run routes. I'm very capable of running every route on the tree."

Diehards Line:The Chiefs haven't shown that confidence in Hardman yet. He's been a part-time player since the Chiefs drafted him in the second round of the 2019 draft and the reasons for that seemed apparent in the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes threw Hardman's way six times but completed just two passes for 4 yards. If the Chiefs agree that Hardman is more well-rounded and not just a threat on deep throws, jet sweeps and end arounds, it may soon be time for them to prove it. Watkins and Demarcus Robinson, who were second and third behind Tyreek Hill in 2020 among Chiefs wide receivers in snaps played, are potential unrestricted free agents. Hardman would be the first in line to claim their playing time. The Chiefs drafted him to be an eventual starter. It seems clear that if the Chiefs with a tight salary cap situation re-sign Watkins or Robinson or find their replacements elsewhere, they don't agree with Hardman in his assessment that he's ready to be an every-down receiver. We'll be looking for signs that's changing over the offseason.