Bears steal former first-round pick in trade
The Chicago Bears improved its roster on Tuesday by trading a seventh-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for former first-round wide receiver N’Keal Harry. Harry will immediately bolster the team’s depth at wideout, joining Darnell Mooney, Byron Pringle, and Velus Jones Jr., who are expected to be quarterback Justin Fields’ primary pass […]
The Chicago Bears improved its roster on Tuesday by trading a seventh-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for former first-round wide receiver N’Keal Harry. Harry will immediately bolster the team’s depth at wideout, joining Darnell Mooney, Byron Pringle, and Velus Jones Jr., who are expected to be quarterback Justin Fields’ primary pass catchers in 2022.
This deal is a win-win for the Bears. By giving up a measly seventh-round pick, Chicago is not heavily investing in Harry. If he winds up exceeding expectations, then the Bears will have added a valuable weapon for cheap. If Harry isn’t producing, Chicago can cut ties with him and end the experiment.
There are no strings attached.
The pressure of being a first-round draft pick was something that burdened Harry in New England. He caught just 12 passes in his rookie season, but bounced back in 2020 with 33 receptions for 309 yards and a touchdown. His productivity was still lacking for a first rounder, but he was at least showing progress.
Harry really struggled last season. After requesting a trade prior to training camp, Harry opened the season on injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury in the preseason. He hauled in just 12 passes for 184 yards without scoring a touchdown in 2021.
However, all of the pressure to live up to his draft slot should dissipate after this trade. He enters Chicago with a fresh start, and has the possibility of seeing significant snap counts during the year. Justin Fields also offers a much higher ceiling than Mac Jones, making Chicago a fantastic landing spot for the 24-year-old.
Chicago’s general manager Ryan Poles has been extremely active since he was hired in late January. Poles wasted no time in dealing star linebacker Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for a couple of draft picks in a move to create salary cap space.
I have been impressed in the Bears’ offseason thus far. It appears as if Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus are in sync, rebuilding this roster with youth and talent, but have avoided doling out the massive contracts that handicapped Chicago in the Ryan Pace era.
The jury is still very much out on Harry. Trading a seventh-round pick for a receiver taken with the 31st overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft is an easy decision, especially for a team with low expectations heading into the season.
This is a low-risk move for the Bears, and it’s exactly the kind of deal that Poles should make as he continues to gather weapons in order to further Fields’ development. Time will tell if Harry will work out in Chicago, but Poles deserves his flowers for pulling all of the right strings in his first offseason as GM.
Featured image via Marc Lebryk – USA TODAY Sports
