The Arizona Cardinals have not yet made any moves in free agency at wide receiver, a position most believe needs to be addressed. A player familiar to local Arizona fans appears to be on the way out of his current team.
The New England Patriots acquired receiver DaVante Parker from the Miami Dolphins, which seems to signal that former first-round pick N’Keal Harry is not in the Patriots’ plans and could be acquired via trade.
Harry was a standout at Arizona State and was selected No. 32 overall in 2019. Many believed the Cardinals would have selected him with the 33rd overall pick had New England not taken him. Instead, the Cardinals drafted cornerback Byron Murphy.
Harry requested a trade last offseason. He has not been happy with his usage with the Patriots.
He has been hampered by injuries, missing 16 games in three seasons.
He is 6-4, 225 lbs with great speed and leaping ability. If the Cardinals wish to replace A.J. Green, Harry is a physical match for their ‘Z’ receiver spot.
However, he has only had 57 career receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons. He had his best production in 2020 when he caught 33 passes for 309 yards and a pair of scores.
Last season, he had 12 catches for 184 yards, averaging a career-best 15.3 yards per reception.
He has one year remaining on his rookie contract that will pay him a little less than $1.9 million, which is what his cap hit would be in 2022 for any team that should acquire him via trade. Less than $674,000 is fully guaranteed.
The Cardinals could probably acquire him for one of their five picks in the sixth and seventh rounds of the 2022 draft, but while he is a physical and athletic match for the position and he would not be that expensive, his production thus far makes counting on him to be their No. 2 or No. 3 receiver risky.
A.J. Green had 54 receptions for 848 yards and two touchdowns in 2021. He was both productive and disappointing.
Is it reasonable to expect comparable production from a player whose production in three seasons doesn’t match what Green did in one year?
What it would cost to pay and acquire him probably makes it a reasonable risk, especially if what Harry needs to flourish is a change in scenario.
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