Tag: N’Keal Harry

4 potential trade targets for the Lions before roster cutdowns

Every Wire team editor named one player who could be traded in the roster cutdown period. These four players make the most sense for the Lions.

The roster cutdown period will see hundreds of players suddenly available in the coming days. If the Detroit Lions are seeking a specific player or position that is expected to be cut by another team, making a minor trade instead of waiting through the waiver wire claim or open market is a shrewd way to build up the bottom of the roster.

Our Wire network of editors listed one player from each team who is a good candidate to be traded in the next few days. Obviously, not all will be dealt, but it’s a good look at what types of players and positional talent will be available after the final preseason games this weekend.

Here are four players whose names came up on the Wire list who would make sense as trade targets for the Lions.

Gardner Minshew, QB, Jaguars

Minshew is the best young quarterback available. He’s never going to get ahead of No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville and the Jaguars like what they’ve seen from veteran C.J. Beathard too. While Minshew isn’t a likely successor to Jared Goff, he does represent a more skilled and feisty backup option than either David Blough or Tim Boyle in Detroit. Neither has impressed enough to avoid being replaced.

N’Keal Harry, WR, Patriots

The sales pitch to acquire Harry isn’t a great one. A former first-round pick who has not panned out at all in New England, harry is also battling injury issues this preseason. A conditional late-round pick would secure his services at a position where the Lions are clearly seeking long-term potential, and Detroit does have the cap room to take on the remainder of his rookie contract.

Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Football Team

Gandy-Golden is the victim of circumstance in Washington. The Football Team’s fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Liberty lost most of his rookie campaign to injury and COVID-19, and the team appears to have moved on already. His size and playing style are quite similar to ex-Lions WR Kenny Golladay. While it was a different regime, the Lions did coach Gandy-Golden in Senior Bowl week in 2020.

Taylor Rapp, S, Rams

Rapp is a hyper-athletic box safety who bagged 100 tackles as a rookie in 2019. Lions GM Brad Holmes knows him well as the leader of the scouting staff that tabbed Rapp in the second round of that draft. The Rams defense doesn’t really use that kind of player anymore. Rapp would be an instant upgrade over Will Harris in that “big” safety role and can even play some hybrid LB/S.

Patriots 53-man roster projection: 3 QBs is a necessity. And what to do with N’Keal Harry?

The most interesting positions, from our view, are quarterback, cornerback and receiver.

The New England Patriots received unfortunate news on Sunday: They will be without quarterback Cam Newton for five days. He accidentally violated the NFL’s testing protocol for players who are not fully vaccinated, and because he missed a test, he will need to go into a five-day re-entry period.

It was a reminder that the Patriots need three quarterbacks for 2021. The Patriots have to manage the stern protocols for their quarterback who isn’t fully vaccinated: Newton. Even if all of the Patriots’ quarterbacks are eventually vaccinated, they can still contract COVID-19, which could result in their absence from the team, though vaccinated players have a shorter timeline for return than unvaccinated individuals.

The 2021 season will have plenty of uncertainties. The Patriots will need to stay deep at the NFL’s most important position.

Report: N’Keal Harry expected to miss 4 weeks and season-opener with shoulder injury

New England Patriots receiver N’Keal Harry will miss four weeks with a shoulder injury.

New England Patriots receiver N’Keal Harry will miss four weeks with a shoulder injury, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. That means Harry is expected to miss the Patriots’ season-opener.

Harry suffered a shoulder injury in the team’s second preseason game, a win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He dove while trying to catch a deep ball from quarterback Mac Jones. Harry landed hard on his left shoulder.

Harry had requested a trade from New England, but with the shoulder injury, his trade market will get only more complicated. The Patriots seemed to have issues finding a trade partner this offseason, and Harry’s value isn’t likely to have increased.

The Patriots drafted Harry at 32nd overall in 2019. He has recorded 45 catches for 414 yards and four touchdowns.

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Patriots WR N’Keal Harry spotted in a sling after suffering injury

The Patriots’ former first-round pick appeared to suffer a shoulder injury on Thursday.

New England Patriots receiver N’Keal Harry was spotted at Lincoln Financial Field wearing a sling on Thursday night after the team’s 35-0 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason.

Harry appeared to suffer a shoulder injury during the first half of the game when quarterback Mac Jones aired out a deep ball. Harry dove for the ball, and couldn’t haul it in. He hit the ground hard on his left side and stayed down on the turf in clear pain. He walked off the field on his own power.

Belichick said he had no update on the injury on Friday morning during a press conference.

Harry is fighting for a roster spot after the Patriots signed receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne in the offseason after Jakobi Meyers enjoyed a breakout season in 2020. His injury could impact his ability of making the roster.

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N’Keal Harry, Josh Uche exit Patriots’ preseason game vs. Eagles with injuries

Two young and ascending Patriots left the team’s preseason game against the Eagles with injuries.

Two key New England Patriots players left the preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles with injuries.

N’Keal Harry landed hard on his shoulder in the second quarter after chasing down a pass from Mac Jones that traveled 50 yards in the air. The Boston Globe’s Jim McBride reported that Harry was holding his left arm close to his chest. McBride said Harry was holding his left arm as if it was in a sling.

Josh Uche sustained an injury also and didn’t appear in the second half, but the severity of it was much more discreet. He departed to the locker room with trainers and never made it back to the field.

Here’s the play it happened on.

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Instant observations from Eagles first joint practice with Patriots

Instant observations from Eagles first joint practice with Patriots

The Eagles welcomed the Patriots to the NovaCare Complex for two days of joint practices and Monday went Philadelphia’s way for the most part.

Here are several observations from the first day of joint sessions.

Patriots’ 53-man roster projection: How preseason Week 1 impacted the position battles

What to do with N’Keal Harry, Joejuan Williams and other recent high draft picks.

It’s never easy to pare down the New England Patriots’ roster to 53 men. This year, as always, will be a tricky one. And I can’t help but wonder if the Patriots will shuffle the back end of the roster at the last minute to swap depth at one position (like receiver or running back) to add some talent at a position that’s lacking (like cornerback).

We posited over potential trades last week. In this roster projection, I’ll stick with the players currently on the roster. Let’s consider what we saw in preseason Week 1, with the Patriots beating the Washington Football Team. Here’s an updated roster projection heading into the second preseason game.

Patriots’ 53-man roster projection: Predicting two trades and the impact of preseason

Here’s a look at the New England Patriots’ roster projection ahead of the start of preseason.

You thought Bill Belichick’s aggressive offseason was over? Well, what if he has one more kick of life in him? What if he decides to spin some trades on the final day of roster cuts, when he’ll pare down to 53?

The Patriots’ weaknesses are starting to show themselves. Really, they just have one weakness if Stephon Gilmore doesn’t return from injury: it’s cornerback. The departure of Jason McCourty appears to have really hurt the depth in the secondary.

And then there’s the issue of N’Keal Harry’s trade request.

So let’s address those two items of interest while taking a swing at how the preseason will influence a few players on the roster bubble.

N’Keal Harry’s breakout training camp is deeply complicated. How should Patriots proceed?

N’Keal Harry could’ve made things easier for the New England Patriots on Sunday. He could have called off his trade request. But … he didn’t. A reporter asked Harry if he still wants to get traded, even while he’s enjoying the best training camp of …

N’Keal Harry could’ve made things easier for the New England Patriots on Sunday. He could have called off his trade request. But … he didn’t. A reporter asked Harry if he still wants to get traded, even while he’s enjoying the best training camp of his career. Harry wouldn’t answer the question.

“Everything that’s going on off the field, that’s really not my focus at all,” Harry said. “Like I said, I’m focused on becoming a better football player each day, and whatever happens, off the field, happens. I’m not going to worry about that right now.”

It’s likely the trade request still stands. Though it is possible Harry is done with questions about the trade request. After all, he did say he’d “definitely” be happy if he ended up on the Patriots roster to start the season. That said, Harry was given the opportunity to shut the door on his trade request in the past. He wouldn’t do it.

That’s what has made Harry’s breakout training camp so complicated. Harry has put together 11 impressive practices, with four or five where he has looked like the best receiver on the field. It’s August. So it’s important not to get carried away by a few good sessions, especially because so many of them have been unpadded. Harry’s biggest issues came with physical coverage — we’ll need to see him put up production in preseason.

But because this situation is pretty complicated and very uncertain, let’s dive into what could be next for Harry.