N'Keal Harry Reportedly Traded to Bears from Patriots for 2024 7th-Round Draft Pick
July 12, 2022
Wide receiver N'Keal Harry's tenure as a member of the New England Patriots has come to an end after he was traded to the Chicago Bears, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
The Patriots will receive a 2024 seventh-round pick in exchange for the 24-year-old, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Patriots had high expectations for Harry after selecting him with the No. 32 pick in the 2019 draft. He was coming off an outstanding college career at Arizona State that included back-to-back All-Pac-12 first-team selections in 2017 and 2018.
An ankle injury suffered during the preseason caused him to start his rookie season on injured reserve. His professional debut didn't come until Week 11 of the 2019 campaign. He didn't make much of an impact with 105 yards and two touchdowns on 12 receptions in seven games.
Despite being healthier in 2020, Harry's performance didn't get much better. He finished the year with 309 yards and two touchdowns on 33 receptions in 14 games.
Jamal Tooson, Harry's agent, issued a statement last July that his client had formally requested a trade from the Patriots:
Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafoloStatement from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Patriots?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Patriots</a> WR N’Keal Harry’s agent Jamal Tooson, who has formally requested a trade for the 2019 first-round pick. <a href="https://t.co/3xdJbbar28">pic.twitter.com/3xdJbbar28</a>
Even though the team didn't grant his request, Harry's status with the Pats became even more unclear last summer after the team made a series of offseason acquisitions to upgrade its pass-catching group.
Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor were new additions to the receiving corps. Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith were signed as free agents to give the team two starting tight ends.
The Patriots added DeVante Parker this offseason in a trade with the Miami Dolphins and then drafted Baylor wideout Tyquan Thornton in the second round this year.
The offense looked better with Mac Jones under center during his rookie campaign. New England finished ninth in DVOA, though Harry didn't benefit from the improved play. He had 12 catches for 184 yards in 12 games (four starts).
Chicago presents Harry an opportunity for a fresh start with an offense that could use plenty of help after finishing 30th in passing last season. Harry's 6'4", 225-pound frame could make him an asset for young quarterback Justin Fields alongside Darnell Mooney.