Pros and Cons of Detroit Lions Trading for Wide Receiver N'Keal Harry
The representatives for New England Patriots wideout N'Keal Harry have made it known that the 23-year-old is seeking a new team to play for.
Jamal Tooson, Harry's agent, released a statement Tuesday detailing the formal trade demand.
"For the past several months, I have been working in cooperation with the Patriots behind the scenes to put a plan in place to allow N'Keal to thrive in New England," Tooson said in a statement. "Through two seasons, he has 86 targets, which obviously hasn't met the expectations the Patriots and N'Keal had when they drafted a dominant downfield threat who was virtually unstoppable at the point of attack in college. Following numerous conversations with the Patriots, I believe it's time for a fresh start and best for both parties if N'Keal moves on before the start of training camp. That is why I have informed the Patriots today I am formally requesting a trade on behalf of my client."
Should the Detroit Lions, who arguably need an upgrade at the wide receiver position, consider trading for Harry?
According to NFL.com, "Harry appeared in just seven games as a rookie, seeing 24 targets and catching just 12 of them for 105 yards and two touchdowns in Tom Brady's final season in New England. The Patriots clearly were counting on Harry being a significant part of the offense in 2019, so much that when they realized they'd need additional help, they sent a second-round pick to Atlanta for Mohamed Sanu in the middle of the 2019 season. Sanu caught just 26 passes for 207 yards and one TD in eight games with the Patriots before his time there concluded in September of 2020 via release at the end of training camp."
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New Lions signal-caller Jared Goff would benefit mightily from another player who is looking to make a name for himself and to prove critics wrong.
The former 2019 first-round pick in Harry could benefit from lining up alongside Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman in Motown.
"N'Keal understands a key ingredient to production is opportunity. He will continue to work hard to develop and refine his craft after missing a large portion of his rookie year to injury," Tooson wrote. "His draft-day expectations for his NFL career have not changed. We are confident success is just around the corner for him and will aggressively pursue it."
In two seasons in New England, Harry recorded 45 receptions for 414 receiving yards and four touchdown grabs. He also recorded 49 rushing yards.
Harry's contract is quite affordable, as he has a base salary of $1.4 million in 2021 and a base salary of $1.9 million for the 2022 season.
Harry was among the most productive college wideouts prior to entering the league. Over his last two seasons at Arizona State, he secured 155 receptions for 2,230 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Up until this point, Harry has been viewed as a bust in the league due to his inconsistency in New England.
Trading for Harry would be considered a risk depending on the asking price, but it would be well worth it for Detroit general manager Brad Holmes to take on a project at this point in the organization's rebuild.
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