Getty WR N'Keal Harry of the New England Patriots.
The Chicago Bears have more than a few pressing questions at wide receiver. With the team having until July 15 to ink top wideout Allen Robinson to a long-term deal, it’s looking like it would take a miracle for the Bears to sign him to a significant contract before he plays out the final year of his current three-year deal on the franchise tag.
Chicago also has questions at the position behind Robinson. While second-year wideout Darnell Mooney is expected to take a big leap, former second-round pick Anthony Miller was the subject of trade rumors all offseason and the depth chart behind them both includes Riley Ridley, Marquise Goodwin, Damiere Byrd and Javon Wims, among others. The Bears have plenty of talent and speed, but the future at wide receiver remains a key question for Chicago.
One analyst thinks he may have at least a partial answer.
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Patriots WR N’Keal Harry Wants to Be Traded
The New England Patriots selected wideout N’Keal Harry out of Arizona State with the 32nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound wideout was chosen ahead of Deebo Samuel and DK Metcalf that year, and expectations were high. An ankle injury during training camp derailed him early on in his rookie campaign, and he never quite got his footing in New England after that.
Harry has 45 catches for 414 yards and four touchdowns over his first two seasons with the Patriots, but after his not-so-hot start, he apparently wants out. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network shared a statement via Twitter from Harry’s agent Jamal Tooson on July 6, in which Tooson noted a “fresh start was best for both parties.”
Nothing has happened yet, but Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report thinks the Bears should give Harry a good, hard look.
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Gagnon: The Justin Fields Factor is Intriguing
In his July 8 article for Bleacher Report, Gagnon lays out why Chicago would be a solid landing spot for Harry. “The 2019 first-round pick won’t likely fetch a lot on the trade market because he’s caught just 45 passes in two disappointing NFL seasons. That said, he’s still just 23 and has the size, strength and hands to excel in the right environment,” Gagnon wrote about Harry, adding:
“There’s also something about a clean slate with a new quarterback. It’d be worth seeing if Harry and rookie first-round pick Justin Fields could get on the same page this summer, especially with veteran No. 1 wideout Allen Robinson II entering a potential walk year under the franchise tag.”
Gagnon also thinks “Harry could be a potential ‘big slot’ replacement for Miller” if the Bears choose to move on from their former second-round pick. Per NFL insider Josina Anderson, Harry will report to training camp if he’s not traded first, so no hold out is planned, but his desire to leave New England apparently remains. Would the Windy City be a good landing spot?
Harry isn’t anywhere near as talented as A-Rob, but a Miller-for-Harry swap certainly intrigues. Harry is slated to make $1,413,032 million in 2021 and just over $1.8 million in 2022, per Spotrac, so he’d be affordable. for a cash-strapped Bears team. Will Chicago try to make it happen? That’s the only question.
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