The New England Patriots have traded wide receiver N’Keal Harry to the Chicago Bears. The move brings to an end Harry’s time in New England, after failing to live up to expectations after being a first-round selection in the 2019 NFL draft.
The Patriots are receiving a seventh-round selection in the trade, as reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport:
At long last, the #Patriots trade former first-rounder N'Keal Harry and it’s the #Bears as his landing spot for a 2024 7th rounder, per me and @MikeGarafolo. A solid upside move for Chicago, while New England moves on with a strong group itself.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 12, 2022
Despite the early selection, Harry struggled to get on the same page with quarterback Tom Brady during the 2019 campaign. When the Patriots signed Cam Newton as their starting quarterback for the 2020 season, there was hope that he and Harry would be on the same page, and that failed to materialize.
Last season, Harry performed well as a blocking wide receiver, but again was not a focal point of New England’s passing game. During his time with the Patriots, he caught 57 passes — on 103 targets — for 598 yards and four touchdowns.
As Patriots fans are quick to point out, D.K. Metcalf, selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, has caught 216 passes for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns over the same three-year stretch.
In Chicago, Harry might find an opportunity to be a core part of the receiving room. This off-season, the Bears have slowly added receiving options around second-year passer Justin Fields, including veterans Byron Pringle, Tajae Sharp and Dante Pettis. They also drafted Velus Jones Jr. in the third round, who could be a dynamic playmaker for Chicago in the passing game.
