A former draft target and current Patriots rookie receiver is on IR but may still be present when the Philadelphia Eagles host New England in Week 11.
The decision by the Philadelphia Eagles to draft JJ Arcega-Whiteside looks more and more like a brilliant decision every day. If you’ll remember when the NFL Combine and what was then the upcoming NFL Draft were hot topics, one of the guys they were very interested in was wide receiver N’Keal Harry.
Honestly, who wouldn’t have been? Harry is a six-foot-four, 225-pound wideout who played his college ball with the Arizona State Sun Devils. He was also a two-time First-team All-Pac-12 nod (2017, 2018).
The Eagles jumped ahead of the Houston Texans to take tackle Andre Dillard, another wise move. Well, Harry wasn’t expected to fall to the second round anyway, but when the New England Patriots took him with the 32nd-overall selection, Philly needed to go with other options in Round 2.
They made wise decisions in picking up both Miles Sanders and JJ Arcega-Whiteside. That set up a showcase of two good young pass catchers in Week 11, but Harry got hurt. The Patriots announced that they would place him on the team’s IR (injured reserve), and now, here we are.
What will be billed as a ‘Super Bowl rematch’ (even though it isn’t) will feature a Patriots team that may not have their first-round selection available, but that isn’t a guarantee.
Though Harry is on the team’s IR, he isn’t on a season-ending list, and depending on how he progresses, he could be reactivated and available in Week 11. We’ll have to wait and see though.
If he isn’t, Tom Brady will still have options. Josh Gordon has returned. Julian Edelman will, no doubt, require constant attention, and the Pats have announced they’re bringing Demaryius Thomas back on a one-year deal.
Keep this one circled on your calendar. This figures to be one of the biggest games in 2019, with or without Harry’s appearance.