N'Keal Harry's Fate Revealed
N'Keal Harry's injury wasn't a season ender but it's not exactly good news for the Bears or the former Patriots receiver, either.
According to a report by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Harry's high ankle injury required a surgical procedure and he will be out for eight weeks. This would take Harry off the field until late September or early October and he would miss at least the first three games.
Harry went down after a catch and a tackle on a wide receiver screen play at practice on Aug. 6 but the surgery was to be performed on Thursday.
Harry reportedly is undergoing "tightrope" surgery. The tightrope is a device made by an orthopedic implant company that stabilizes the joint.
The eight weeks is apparently not a hard number because some players have returned in four to six weeks after similar surgeries. Tua Tagovailoa was out 28 days after an injury of this type and then returned to play for Alabama in the national championship game.
Harry's injury came at a time when Bears receivers have been leaving practices regularly. Byron Pringle went out with a quad injury, an issue that could have him out until just before the opener. David Moore, Velus Jones Jr. and Dante Pettis are also out among wide receivers. At Wednesday's practice, none of the first three tight ends were available for Justin Fields as targets as Ryan Griffin, Cole Kmet and James O'Shaughnessy all were sidelined with what the team regards as minor injuries.
"It's football, injuries happen," said wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, suddenly thrust into the role of No. 2 receiver with Pringle out. "You hate to see your fellow teammates go down but in the middle of practice, the next person has to step up and fill the shoes up of wherever we are missing guys at.
"You hate to see it and it happens every year but yeah, people have to step up."
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