No Risk, High Reward for Bears

The trade by the Bears for K'Neal Harry seemed to initially intrigue the team's fans on social media until they checked out what he had or hadn't done for New England.

There is no doubt Harry has been a disappointment for the Patriots. Teams don't draft receivers in Round 1—albeit next to last in that round—and expect 57 receptions for three years without injuries really being a great problem.

The Bears would no doubt be disappointed if Velus Jones Jr. had only 57 receptions after three seasons and they took him in Round 3.

Harry had been plagued somewhat with injuries, but not a really major career-threatening type of problem.

According to Mike D'Abate of FanNation's Patriot Country, Harry wanted out of New England last year. His agent, Jamal Tooson, issued a request for a trade then but the Patriots held onto him. He had suffered a shoulder injury in preseason and it didn't help.

Still, there is hope a change of scenery can benefit Harry as a receiver, partly because the Bears have a receivers coach who has a strong reputation for helping develop pass catchers. Emmanuel Sanders, the late DeMaryius Thomas, Odell Beckham Jr., Eric Decker, Anquan Boldin and Sterling Shepard are among the receivers who worked with Tolbert in the past.

N'Keal Harry was on another level at Arizona State.

His five highest-graded plays😳pic.twitter.com/c7We7RDSjt
— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 24, 2020

Often teams find out why a wide receiver struggled elsewhere and the end result is they keep struggling. Kevin White's problems with the Bears didn't stem totally from injuries, as he went to other teams and continued to show he wasn't a fit in the pro game.

However, in Harry's case there is something he can do to greatly benefit the offense and besides his great size it is also a reason he could fit into Luke Getsy's offense.

All-22 of newest Chicago Bears WR N'Keal Harry's best plays as a pro. Ryan Poles loves players with chips on their shoulders and Harry should have something to prove after already being labeled a bust. Not a great route runner but physical and good at the catch point. Only 24 pic.twitter.com/IIiNtHZpB1
— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) July 12, 2022

According to final Pro Football Focus grading, Harry ranked as the No. 2 run-blocking wide receiver in the league last year (84.7) behind only Robert Woods (84.9). Considering Byron Pringle was the seventh-best run blocker according to PFF (74.8), the Bears would seem well equipped to set up the wide zone blocking scheme for backs downfield as well as at the line of scrimmage. An earlier tweet PFF put out had the two at 1-2, but the final stats said otherwise.

The Patriots asked Harry to block on 53 percent of his offensive snaps last year according to D'Abate, making him more or less into a tight end.

The difference between Ryan Poles and Ryan Pace? Both would have traded to get N'Keal Harry, but Pace would have sent a 2023 3rd for him instead of Poles' 2024 7th.
— Ken Mitchell (@WCGBearsDenDude) July 13, 2022

With Harry (6-foot-4, 225 pounds), Equanimeous St. Brown (6-5, 214), Velus Jones (6-foot, 204), David Moore (6-foot, 219 pounds) and Pringle (6-1, 203) you have a defensive back's worst nightmare when it comes to defending the run or trying to stop a short pass.

Great to see Tom Brady playing catch with his old teammate N’Keal Harry
pic.twitter.com/aMekByMjZ8
— PFF (@PFF) July 25, 2021

Imagine what slippery Darnell Mooney can do with a wide receiver screen now with a group of big receivers up ahead punishing defensive backs in the blocking game.

The Bears had a totally different type of wide receivers group last year, with small and fast being in and big not really desired.

It's part of their new commitment to being a more physical team, whether it's in the run, building the offense with play-action passing off of that run or using wide receiver screens to punish DBs. The Bears' wide zone blocking approach is taking them back to their roots as a strong running team capable of bullying defenses, and away from Matt Nagy's Arena Ball style.

The Highest Graded Run Blocking Wide Receivers During the 2021 NFL Season

1️⃣ Byron Pringle: 89.6
2️⃣ N’Keal Harry: 89.5

With the Bears Shifting the Focus to the Run Game. This is No Surprise.
— Irish Bears Network (@IrishBearsShow) July 12, 2022

It's on Harry whether he succeeds or fails in Chicago but he probably wasn't going to make New England's roster this year after Tyquan Thornton came on board. They already have DeVante Parker and Jakobi Meyers, as well as veteran speedster Nelson Agholor. So they were all too willing to obtain something rather than just cut him.

The question isn't whether the Bears helped themselves in the passing game by giving up a 2024 pick that would have been unlikely to make the team, as is the case with many seventh-round picks they've had over the last decade.

Called many N’Keal Harry games at ASU. Among top recruits in USA. Playmaker every season in Tempe. Physically imposing. Strong hands. YAC ability. Pats were obviously high on him since Belichick had never drafted a 1st Rd WR before. Has wanted out of NE for a couple yrs. #Bears
— Anthony Herron (@BigAntHerron) July 12, 2022

It's whether Harry will take steps necessary to ensure he's going to help the Bears in the passing game and running game by improving.

If he does, what looked like an insignificant trade could ultimately pay off for Harry, Fields and the Bears.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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