Cryptic tweet from Mecole Hardman hints at his thoughts on NY Jets trade

The NY Jets made the somewhat controversial decision to cut ties with wide receiver Mecole Hardman last week, sending the speedy wideout back to Kansas City in a swap of future late-round draft picks.

Hardman had fallen out of favor with the Jets coaching staff and didn't really have a role on the team prior to his departure. The trade didn't come as much of a surprise, even if the events leading up to it left some a little confused.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh attempted to explain the Hardman trade when speaking to reporters on Monday. Saleh insisted that the emergence of undrafted rookie Xavier Gipson essentially made Hardman expendable.

He explained that Gipson took advantage of his practice reps when Hardman missed time during OTAs and training camp. Hardman, however, seemed to take issue with Saleh's explanation.

The new Chiefs wide receiver took to Twitter to respond with a cryptic tweet of his own. The post can be seen below.

Mecole Hardman clearly doesn't agree with NY Jets head coach Robert Saleh's explanation

It should be noted that Hardman has said all the right things since his departure. The former Pro Bowler wished the Jets well when speaking to reporters last week and showed no signs of any ill will.

That said, something Saleh said clearly didn't sit right with Hardman. Hardman seems to believe that his lack of a role wasn't solely due to the emergence of Gipson, and he probably has a point.

The Jets have played veteran Randall Cobb on a whopping 49 percent of their offensive snaps despite the fact that he has a strong case to be the worst player in the entire NFL. If you think that's an exaggeration, read more about Cobb's unprecedented struggles here.

One would think the Jets would be able to find a role for Hardman, given Cobb's immense struggles. Instead, Hardman was squeezed out of the offense before the season began and never really given a fair chance.

At this point, the situation is in the past. Hardman is happy to be back in Kansas City, and he's already made an impact with his old/new team. The Jets are happy to move forward and are thrilled with what they've seen from Gipson to this point.

This will ultimately be a small, unfortunate, and slightly puzzling chapter in a storied Jets season. As for Hardman, he should do just fine with the Chiefs.