The New England Patriots could return third-year receiver N’Keal Harry as soon as this week.
Harry was placed on the injured reserve list due to a shoulder injury in the preseason and he missed the Patriots’ first three games. He’s now eligible to return in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he can practice as soon as Wednesday.
Bill Belichick, while speaking on a videoconference call on Monday morning, had a more elaborate answer than usual when asked about Harry’s potential return.
“It’s a possibility,” Belichick replied. “It’s definitely a possibility. We’ll see where he is today, but he’s making progress, so we’ll probably make that decision in the next 48 hours.”
Harry didn’t have the greatest training camp and he’s coming off two seasons of injuries and mediocre play. He was the first receiver to be drafted by Belichick in the first round and the Patriots still carry hope to see Harry flourish in this system.
Unlike last season, the Patriots have help at the receiver position and that was evident in the loss against the New Orleans Saints. Kendrick Bourne had six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, while Jakobi Meyers hauled in nine catches for 94 yards. Nelson Agholor has shown glimpses of potential and the tight end duo is slowly acclimating.
This will likely be Harry’s last season to prove if he can live up to the potential of a first-round pick or not.
