Patriots wide receiver reset: Time to move on from N'Keal Harry?

technical details

is_video => true
is_chrome_page => null
article_body => "If the Patriots wide receiver room was a car, a mechanic would look at you and say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry. You don\u2019t have to replace everything but this is going to take a lot of work. Why didn\u2019t you bring it in sooner?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\nStart with the salvageable. Julian Edelman, even at 35, even coming off a knee surgery is still a player who can produce and move the chains thanks to guts, guile and short-area quickness.<\/p>\r\n\r\nHe had an eight-catch, 179-yard game against Seattle in Week 2 with Cam Newton throwing to him. He had 100 catches for 1,117 yards when he was all beat up in 2019. He was Super Bowl MVP just two years ago. Whoever the Patriots bring in at quarterback would be fortunate to have Edelman around.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/patriots\/patriots-running-back-reset-key-decisions-loom-teams-deepest-position?int\">Curran's RB reset: Key decisions loom at Pats' deepest position<\/a><\/h5>\r\n\r\nThe question will be, how\u2019s the knee? My understanding is there\u2019s no repairing it, just managing the pain. There\u2019s also a contact situation to consider with Edelman. Even though he has a reasonable $2.8M contract, he\u2019s got a $6.1M cap number this year and the Patriots can save almost $3.5M if they release him. The team isn\u2019t hurting for cap space. They could use his presence and production. But it wouldn\u2019t be a stunner if the Patriots wanted to knock down his number somehow.<\/p>\r\n\r\nAlso of further use? Jakobi Meyers. He had 59 catches for 729 yards in 2020. And that\u2019s after playing just 22 snaps in the first three games as he idled behind first-round pick N\u2019Keal Harry. Every chance Meyers gets, he does something with. He even threw two touchdown passes last season. He\u2019s never going to be a superstar but he\u2019s going to continue to get better as more trust and better quarterbacking find him.<\/p>\r\n\r\nSpeaking of Harry, it\u2019s just not working for him here. He\u2019ll be entering his third year and has 45 catches for 414 yards in 21 games. It\u2019s been injuries, a seeming lack of confidence, tentativeness, misjudgment of how he\u2019s being defended \u2026 it\u2019s a lot.<\/p>\r\n\r\nIt doesn\u2019t help that Meyers is lighting it up and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/patriots\/wrs-taken-after-nkeal-harry-2019-nfl-draft-will-upset-patriots-fans?b\">every other receiver taken early in the 2019 NFL Draft<\/a> seems to be a Pro Bowler. He needs a great offseason to build confidence and then he needs an in-season payoff. Truth be told, though, he\u2019d probably be better off getting traded and starting fresh.<\/p>\r\n\r\nNext Pats Podcast: Why the Patriots should NOT be looking for the next Tom Brady | <a href=\"https:\/\/link.chtbl.com\/nextpatspod\">Listen & Subscribe<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/CHLyEIhLPXE\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/67c21195-d539-4577-bb67-9fc7bb371285\/episodes\/9c6a00a9-b86e-4a5e-bb49-1ad0277fdfbc\/embed\"><\/iframe><\/p>\r\n\r\nThe rest of the wideouts under contract are Gunner Olszewski, Marqise Lee, Kristian Wilkerson, Isaiah Zuber and Devin Smith.<\/p>\r\n\r\nOlszewski is plainly talented with the ball in his hands. It\u2019s getting it in his hands as a wideout that\u2019s a chore. He\u2019s not good at catching. But I wouldn\u2019t bet against him improving that skill given the massive leap he\u2019s made elsewhere since entering the league and converting from cornerback.<\/p>\r\n\r\nLee opted out of 2020. He had productive years in 2016 and 2017, but missed all of 2018 and had just three catches in 2019. Don\u2019t put your eggs in that basket.<\/p>\r\n\r\nZuber, 23, had two catches for 29 yards and two carries for 21. Could be worth continuing to work with. Smith was a second-round pick in 2015 who ended 2020 on the Patriots practice squad. Same thing with Wilkerson who had two snaps last year.<\/p>\r\n\r\nTwo guys who aren\u2019t under contract but were decent in 2020? Damiere Byrd and Donte Moncrief. Byrd had 47 catches for 604 yards and felt like an upgrade over the surehanded but one-dimensional Phillip Dorsett. Moncrief played in six games and had a 15-yard catch to show for it.<\/p>\r\n\r\nIf the 2021 Patriots can work with Meyers, Byrd, Edelman and Olszewski, there are things that each of them do well. But to get the best out of them, they need to be in roles that aren\u2019t too big for their age or their skill sets.<\/p>\r\n\r\nEditor's note: Every week, Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran will evaluate a different position on New England's offense to reset where the team stands entering the offseason. Up next week: the tight ends.<\/em><\/p>\r\n"
created => 1612457114
changed => 1612457512
status => true
hero_image_credit => "Getty Images"
tags => null
field_bean_single_col => null
section => null
orig_image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1280","height":"720","uri":"public:\/\/article\/hero\/Harry_N'Keal_GettyImages-1292612613.jpg","timestamp":1612457114}
image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1280","height":"720","uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/boston\/2021\/02\/04\/Harry_N'Keal_GettyImages-1292612613.jpg","timestamp":1612457114}
video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/video\/colin-cowherd-patriots-belichick-have-systemic-problem-drafting"
is_mediaid => true
mediaid => "_mLG1PkKeBs1"
video_autoplay => null
video_automute => null
mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
player_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/vplayer\/p\/BxmELC\/newengland_main\/select\/media\/_mLG1PkKeBs1?form=html&autoPlay=true"
chrome_data => null
description => "The Patriots' wide receiver room needs a serious overhaul. In his position reset, Tom E. Curran explains why it's no guarantee that N'Keal Harry is part of the solution."
league => "NFL"
league_id => "104"
sport => "Football"
sport_id => "25"
image_credit => "Getty Images"
no_promo => false
no_trending_in_body => false
no_recirc => false
no_trend => false
short_title => "Curran: Should Harry be part of Pats' WR plans in 2021?"
sponsorship_type => "presented_by"
topic => "2021 NFL Offseason"
topic_id => "281666"
type => "article"
alias => "\/boston\/patriots\/patriots-wide-receiver-reset-time-move-nkeal-harry"
title => "Patriots wide receiver reset: Time to move on from N'Keal Harry?"
nid => "307741"
author_0 => "Tom E. Curran"
author_0_id => "4231"
mps => {"author_0":"Tom E. Curran"}
region => "boston"
region_id => "6"
sponsor => null
sponsor_id => null
team_id => "28"
team => "Patriots"
published => 1612457100
article_type => "short"
meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/boston\/patriots\/patriots-wide-receiver-reset-time-move-nkeal-harry.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/boston\/2021\/02\/04\/Harry_N'Keal_GettyImages-1292612613.jpg"]}

Patriots

/ by Tom E. Curran

Patriots

Tom E. Curran

If the Patriots wide receiver room was a car, a mechanic would look at you and say, “I’m sorry. You don’t have to replace everything but this is going to take a lot of work. Why didn’t you bring it in sooner?”

Start with the salvageable. Julian Edelman, even at 35, even coming off a knee surgery is still a player who can produce and move the chains thanks to guts, guile and short-area quickness.

He had an eight-catch, 179-yard game against Seattle in Week 2 with Cam Newton throwing to him. He had 100 catches for 1,117 yards when he was all beat up in 2019. He was Super Bowl MVP just two years ago. Whoever the Patriots bring in at quarterback would be fortunate to have Edelman around.

Curran's RB reset: Key decisions loom at Pats' deepest position

The question will be, how’s the knee? My understanding is there’s no repairing it, just managing the pain. There’s also a contact situation to consider with Edelman. Even though he has a reasonable $2.8M contract, he’s got a $6.1M cap number this year and the Patriots can save almost $3.5M if they release him. The team isn’t hurting for cap space. They could use his presence and production. But it wouldn’t be a stunner if the Patriots wanted to knock down his number somehow.

Also of further use? Jakobi Meyers. He had 59 catches for 729 yards in 2020. And that’s after playing just 22 snaps in the first three games as he idled behind first-round pick N’Keal Harry. Every chance Meyers gets, he does something with. He even threw two touchdown passes last season. He’s never going to be a superstar but he’s going to continue to get better as more trust and better quarterbacking find him.

Speaking of Harry, it’s just not working for him here. He’ll be entering his third year and has 45 catches for 414 yards in 21 games. It’s been injuries, a seeming lack of confidence, tentativeness, misjudgment of how he’s being defended … it’s a lot.

It doesn’t help that Meyers is lighting it up and every other receiver taken early in the 2019 NFL Draft seems to be a Pro Bowler. He needs a great offseason to build confidence and then he needs an in-season payoff. Truth be told, though, he’d probably be better off getting traded and starting fresh.

Next Pats Podcast: Why the Patriots should NOT be looking for the next Tom Brady | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

The rest of the wideouts under contract are Gunner Olszewski, Marqise Lee, Kristian Wilkerson, Isaiah Zuber and Devin Smith.

Olszewski is plainly talented with the ball in his hands. It’s getting it in his hands as a wideout that’s a chore. He’s not good at catching. But I wouldn’t bet against him improving that skill given the massive leap he’s made elsewhere since entering the league and converting from cornerback.

Lee opted out of 2020. He had productive years in 2016 and 2017, but missed all of 2018 and had just three catches in 2019. Don’t put your eggs in that basket.

Zuber, 23, had two catches for 29 yards and two carries for 21. Could be worth continuing to work with. Smith was a second-round pick in 2015 who ended 2020 on the Patriots practice squad. Same thing with Wilkerson who had two snaps last year.

Two guys who aren’t under contract but were decent in 2020? Damiere Byrd and Donte Moncrief. Byrd had 47 catches for 604 yards and felt like an upgrade over the surehanded but one-dimensional Phillip Dorsett. Moncrief played in six games and had a 15-yard catch to show for it.

If the 2021 Patriots can work with Meyers, Byrd, Edelman and Olszewski, there are things that each of them do well. But to get the best out of them, they need to be in roles that aren’t too big for their age or their skill sets.

Editor's note: Every week, Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran will evaluate a different position on New England's offense to reset where the team stands entering the offseason. Up next week: the tight ends.