Report: Patriots WR N’Keal Harry Avoids Serious Shoulder Injury, Expected to Be Ready for Week One

The Patriots enigmatic wideout left Thursday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles with a shoulder injury.

The future of New England Patriots wide receiver N’Keal Harry continues to be among the most compelling stories of the team’s offseason. Despite being just under two months removed from his agent having requested that the former first-rounder be traded away from New England, Harry has been one of the Pats’ top performers in training camp.

Now, the 23-year-old appears to have sidestepped a prolonged absence that might have derailed his chances of earning a spot on the Patriots 53-man roster in 2021.

As first reported by Evan Lazar of CLNS Media, Harry has avoided serious injury to his shoulder, which occurred during the second quarter of Thursday's preseason matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.

#Patriots WR N’Keal Harry avoided a serious injury last night and should be good to go by Week 1, per a source. Harry may miss some practice time but it’s not a long-term injury.

— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) August 20, 2021

Harry nearly connected on a well-thrown ‘would-be’ touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Mac Jones. Harry was unable to corral the pass as he landed awkwardly on his left shoulder while diving to make the catch. After remaining down for several minutes, Harry was accompanied to the blue medical tent by the Patriots training staff. He would eventually head to the locker room and did not return to the field. After the game, Harry was spotted leaving the stadium with his arm in a sling.

Patriots WR N’Keal Harry in a sling pic.twitter.com/rBmhEls10i

— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) August 20, 2021

ESPN’s Adam Schefter would go on to report that no structural damage to Harry’s shoulder was found and that he “simply will need rest.”

Harry’s performance has been widely praised throughout much of training camp. He has looked sharp, strong and engaged. While known for his ability to make physical, contested catches, Harry has increased his speed and seems to be running routes with greater efficiency. Still, the Pats wideout has yet to demonstrate his success in a game setting. He finished New England’s first preseason game against the Washington Football Team partaking in 36 snaps, with just one catch on one target.

The Patriots will return to practice on Monday, August 23, as they begin preparations for joint practices with the New York Giants, scheduled for Wednesday (8/25) and Thursday (8/26). New England’s final preseason game will take place against the Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, August 29. Whether Harry will take part in any of the week’s activities is still unknown. However, it is expected that he will be ready for New England’s season-opener versus the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, September 12 at Gillette Stadium.