The Bears’ hopes for former first-round pick N’Keal Harry to re-launch his career and emerge as one of their top wide receivers hit a snag. After leaving practice with a left ankle injury Saturday when he got tackled by linebacker Nick Morrow, Harry was out Sunday.
He was hurt badly enough that he needed help getting off the field, and NFL Network reported that it’s a high ankle sprain. That would likely keep him out for at least the remainder of the preseason.
Injuries have decimated an already thin group at wide receiver for the Bears. They went into training camp with Darnell Mooney, entering just his third season, as their only sure thing. After that, it was a collection mostly consisting of players on one-year contracts playing for their careers.
Two of the most prominent receivers beyond Mooney are also out. Veteran Byron Pringle is going to miss extended time because of a quad injury, though coach Matt Eberflus is optimistic he’ll be back before the season starts Sept. 11. Rookie Velus Jones, a third-round pick, got hurt Friday and hasn’t practiced since.
Pringle, Jones and Dante Pettis were at practice Sunday, but spent it off to the side with the training staff.
Those absences leave Equanimeous St. Brown (37 career catches) and Dazz Newsome as presumably their next two receivers. Newsome spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad.
They also have five-year veterans Tajae Sharpe (117 career catches) and David Moore (78), plus a few young players who have never caught a pass: Isaiah Coulter, Chris Finke, Kevin Shaa and Nsimba Webster.
Harry, still just 24, flamed out with the Patriots in three seasons after they took him No. 32 overall out of Arizona State in 2019. His best season was 2020, when he caught 33 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
Nonetheless, the Bears were drawn to his size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and the talent that made him a two-time 1,000-yard receiver in college. It was well worth giving up a 2024 seventh-round pick — especially for a team that is starved at the position.
“I mean he’s an impressive guy [physically], but I’m even more impressed with his mentality,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. “He came in here with a purpose. To be here for [a short time] and grab that playbook and be as far along as he is already, I’m very impressed.”
