Getty New England Patriots
I
t looks like the New England Patriots have finally had enough of N’Keal Harry.
The wide receiver has been persona non grata since coming to New England. Whether it be requesting a trade, missing voluntary workouts, or underperforming on the field.
Harry is coming off a poor season in 2021 where he only had 12 receptions for 184 yards in 12 games and NESN Patriots reporter Zack Cox projects that Harry will be cut and won’t make the roster in 2022.
“We are ready to cross off Harry, who will enter his fourth Patriots training camp as a roster long shot,” Cox stated.
ALL the latest Patriots news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Patriots newsletter here!
Harry of course isn’t the only receiver projected to be leaving New England. Tre Nixon, Kristian Wilkerson, Malcolm Perry, and recently signed Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
Who is Projected to Make the Roster?
There are a lot of expected names on Cox’s list of receivers making the roster. DeVante Parker leads the way after being acquired via a trade with the Miami Dolphins. Parker is now the only receiver on the roster to ever have a 1,000-yard season in his career.
Cox also has Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, and Nelson Agholor making the roster. Agholor is quite a surprise due to the receiver’s mediocre production and high salary. Trade rumors surrounded Agholor but Cox believes he will still be in New England in 2022.
Agholor only racked up 37 receptions for 473 yards and three touchdowns. The wide receiver will have a base salary of $9 million with a cap hit of $14,882,345 along with a dead cap hit of $10 million.
The odds will be stacked against Agholor to have a better season in 2022. Best case scenario, he will be fourth on the depth chart among receivers.
But Cox believes that Agholor will do enough this offseason to stay on the roster so Patriots fans should keep an eye on the veteran wide receiver.
What’s Next for Harry?
If Harry was to be released, he would have to claw back to save his NFL career. After such poor production, he doesn’t have a lot of time to waste.
But a homecoming could be in the cards for Harry. The Arizona Cardinals lost Christian Kirk and DeAndre Hopkins will miss six games due to a suspension.
With Harry playing his college ball at Arizona State and owning a gym in the state, the Cardinals seem like a perfect landing spot for the wide receiver. A fresh start in a familiar location might be just what Harry needs.
Arizona would likely get Harry for a bargain which makes the wide receiver even more intriguing for the Cardinals.
But Harry’s time in New England seems all but over. The Patriots have a strong group of receivers and it will be tough for him to break through in 2022.
Fans in New England will have to wait and see if Cox’s prediction comes true but if it does, it’s quite likely that a lot of fans will be happy.