Getty N'Keal Harry
After a difficult start to his career with the New England Patriots, N’Keal Harry seems to be getting along with his new team.
This offseason, the Patriots traded the 2019 first-round selection to the Chicago Bears for a seventh-round pick. In three seasons, Harry tallied 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns while in New England.
The wide receiver has just played two games with his new team but he has already found the end zone. In Week 8, Harry caught two passes for 24 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown.
“It feels good,” Harry told NBC Sports Chicago. “I felt pretty comfortable out there these past two weeks. That just comes from getting reps in practice. You got to mess some stuff up to get it right in the game. So, it’s been good.”
Harry seems to be confident in his new home with the way he described his style of play. He described himself as an enforcer in Chicago’s offense.
“I’m fast, physical. I’m a big guy, and I’m pretty fast for my size,” he said. “I feel like I got to be an enforcer in this offense, especially in the run game.”
How Does the Former Patriot Feel About Justin Fields?
Harry went from having the likes of Tom Brady and Mac Jones throwing him the ball to Justin Fields. The second-year quarterback has had a mediocre start to the 2022 NFL season with 1,199 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions. Fields has also rushed for 424 yards and three touchdowns.
Harry praised Fields even after Chicago’s Week 8 loss.
“Man, he’s real special,” Harry said. “Especially when it comes to the way he feels the pocket, gets out of the pocket and uses his legs. The way he extends plays. It’s a big opportunity for our offense. It has been real good so far.”
Who is the Patriots Starting QB?
Jones returned under center for New England in Week 8 and the quarterback had a decent outing. The second-year quarterback threw for 194 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
After being replaced by Bailey Zappe in the prior week, it seemed as though Jones’ was losing his grip on the starting job, but Jones still appears to be the man in New England according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
“No, they aren’t wavering,” Reiss answered when asked if the Patriots might explore other quarterback options other than Jones. “If anything, coach Bill Belichick is going out of his way to show public support for Jones, which included a big on-field embrace after Sunday’s win against the Jets, and then another jovial meeting in the tunnel before they boarded the buses to depart East Rutherford, N.J.
“Belichick often says that he leaves the big-picture evaluations like this for the offseason, when there is more time to assess without the daily grind of game-planning, so there’s always the possibility the team could explore other options for the future,” Reiss added. “But there has been zero indication — publicly or behind the scenes — that the team is thinking along those lines at the moment.”
With a matchup against the Colts in Week 9, Jones will look to build his confidence and further secure his standing in New England.