Getty N'Keal Harry celebrates a score for the Patriots.
The Detroit Lions could have a golden opportunity to improve one of the weakest positions on their roster, and it’s now looking clear that the cost of making such a move
New England Patriots wideout N’Keal Harry requested a trade from the team this week, and until now, folks were only speculating about the cost of acquiring the wide receiver. A concrete idea of how much a deal could cost has now been revealed.
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ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler explained that based on what he is hearing, the cost of trading for Harry might be a conditional sixth-round selection for interested teams.
Talked to league exec who estimates N’Keal Harry will be worth a conditional 6th Rd pick. Teams expected to have interest. Harry will be looking for offense to utilize as contested catch guy, size and strength in red zone and deep. Speed-and-precision offense probably not for him
If that is true, this could be advantage Lions. The team might want to look at making another cheaper addition to the wideout room, and doing it for a low draft cost could be a big win. Harry could be a player that far exceeds the type of return given in play because of age.
The Lions have not been shy about giving away late round picks for players as their deal for Michael Brockers showed, so it will be interesting to see if they get involved here.
Lions Called Great Fit for Harry
Soon after Harry’s trade request was published, folks started pondering his next fit in the league. As expected, many believe the Lions could be a team that fits Harry given their need for a wideout is still fairly strong.
NFL analyst Maurice Moton tweeted that he believes the Lions would be the best fit for Harry thanks to the targets that they could guarantee the wideout, a big reason he wants to depart from New England.
RE: N’Keal Harry
If you’re a WR who wants more targets, the #Lions are the destination.
Tyrell Williams is probably their No. 1. Perriman has battled injuries. Amon-Ra St. Brown is a rookie (who I think could contribute early).
Opportunities are there.
As for the likelihood of a trade, the price would have to be right from the Detroit perspective, which means potentially a middle to late round pick. Harry is still only 23 years old, so he has some time to turn things around in a new locale if the Lions chose to pursue a trade.
In terms of fit, the Lions might be the best thanks to their current situation at wideout. This offseason, the team lost more than half of their wideouts, so the chance is there for more touches for a guy like Harry if a trade is made.
Harry’s Career Stats and Highlights
Since coming into the league as a first-round pick of the Patriots in 2019, Harry has run hot and cold in his career and it’s safe to say has not made the type of impact that many people thought he would be capable of. Harry was a two-time first-team All-Pac 12 player with Arizona State, but in the NFL, only has 414 yards and 4 touchdowns to his credit in spite of being a top option for the Patriots through the last few years.
Here’s a look at some highlights:
Harry still has plenty of talent, but finding a way to tap into that is the goal of his next team, and for the Lions, it could be worth the risk knowing this. That is especially true if the rumored cost is as low as it seems according to reports.