Hopes to be ready for OTAs

Hardman indicated Thursday that he's ahead of schedule following surgery to repair a core muscle and hopes to be fully recovered by the time OTAs start in May, Ethan B. Greenberg of the Jets' official site reports.

Hardman, who signed a one-year contract with the Jets on Wednesday worth up to $6.5 million, is about a month removed from the procedure, and once the team retakes the field, the 2019 second-rounder will add speed to a wideout corps that for the time being also includes Garrett Wilson, Corey Davis, Allen Lazard and Denzel Mims. Per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, in addition to bolstering his new team's pass-catching depth, Hardman -- who logged a 25-297-4 line on 34 targets in eight games with the Chiefs in 2022 -- noted that's he's open to the possibility of returning kickoffs and punts this coming season, an area of need for the Jets following the recent departure of Braxton Berrios.