5 intriguing New England Patriots storylines that will define 2022 offseason
No.5: Time for the New England Patriots to cut ties with N’Keal Harry
One of the top storylines in the offseason of 2021 will conclude in the offseason of 2022.
Yes, Bill Belichick will have to admit he made a major blunder in drafting N’Keal Harry in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
After two less than satisfactory seasons in Foxborough, Harry did have the audacity to request a trade early in that 2021 offseason. He got away with it as Belichick did not grant his wishes and decided to hold onto the former first-round pick throughout the 2022 NFL season.
Related Story. N’Keal Harry has no one to blame but himself. light
With rookie Mac Jones at the helm, it appeared to be a chance at a fresh start for Harry who spent his first two seasons catching the ball from Tom Brady and Cam Newton. But, again, Harry didn’t show much growth or confidence in the passing offense. If not for his ability to block, Harry would’ve spent more time on the inactive list than the field.
So, entering the final year of his rookie deal, Belichick will have to come to a decision, and it shouldn’t be a hard one. Either he trades the receiver for a late-round pick or outright release him.
Unless the Patriots do decide a positional move with Harry, perhaps switching him to tight end, the need to get better and deeper at the wide receiver position should finally lead the team away from a player who now must be considered a bust…at least at the position he was drafted.
Now, there will be other decisions surrounding players like Nelson Agholor and restricted free agent Jakobi Meyers, but clearing the slate and moving on from the N’Keal Harry experiment is one of the first offseason decisions for the Patriots and obviously a storyline worth keeping an eye on.