After an offseason in which the Patriots signed Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, the team made more changes in 2022 by trading for DeVante Parker and drafting Tyquan Thornton in the second round. This quartet and Jakobi Meyers, whom the team kept via second-round RFA tender, are in line to be Mac Jones‘ top receivers this season.
This means more uncertainty for N’Keal Harry, whose days with the Pats appear numbered. Last month, a report emerged the Patriots were considering moving the underwhelming ex-first-rounder to tight end. Now, the team might finally be considering cutting its losses.
The team waiving Harry of training camp should be viewed as in play, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes, given the offset language included in the fourth-year pass catcher’s rookie deal. The Pats have dangled Harry in trades for multiple years. As several receiver standouts chosen after Harry in 2019 have thrived, some en route to big 2022 paydays and others on clear courses for lucrative deals down the road, the big-bodied Pats target has not found his footing.
New England would likely accept a late-round pick-swap trade, one that would send Harry and a Day 3 choice to another team for a Day 3 selection, to save $1.2MM against its 2022 cap, Volin adds. The Pats hold a league-low $1.9MM in cap space. The prospect of the Patriots excusing Harry from training camp while working on a trade, in order to keep the Arizona State product healthy, could also be considered. Harry missed extensive time due to injury in 2019 and ’21, hitting IR in each season.
Harry caught 12 passes for 184 yards last season. He is due a $1.87MM base salary in 2022. Although a combination of receiver-needy teams and Harry’s draft pedigree likely leads to another shot elsewhere, Harry trade rumors have churned since March 2021. However this chapter ends for the 225-pound wideout, the value of Bill Belichick‘s highest-drafted receiver as Patriots HC/de facto GM has tanked over the past three years.
“Big bodied pass catcher” could fill the role of occasional pass-catching downfield blocker for Lamar Jackson.
I mean, if Miles Boykins was kept around so long to do it I’d think Harry could manage it.
Pats will not make it to the playoffs this year.
Wrong again Mc SKANK!
that would depend on Dolphins and Jets actually doing something right
Not necessarily. The AFC is stacked this year so even if NE beats the Dolphins and Jets twice, they still have at least 9 other teams and possibly 10 depending on Watson’s availability that are better on paper than the Pats
And Tampa will, for the 3rd year in a row!
When a player isn’t noticeable you should assume he is a nothing-burger, regardless of the round where they are drafted.
BB might make Harry D-line coach.
Longest-running soap opera in the nfl
Heard Bill has his new OC’s streamlining the offense. MAYBE this is the year it clicks??? Otherwise gimme Clelin Ferrell and a pick swap