Vikings veteran explains why he has 'a head start' on position switch that could change his entire career
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver N'Keal Harry hasn't lived up to his first-round draft billing, regardless of whatever circumstances. But, in Kevin O'Connell's offense, the No. 32 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft is getting a fresh start that could help get his career back on track.That's because O'Connell told reporters on Tuesday that he's […]
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver N'Keal Harry hasn't lived up to his first-round draft billing, regardless of whatever circumstances. But, in Kevin O'Connell's offense, the No. 32 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft is getting a fresh start that could help get his career back on track.
That's because O'Connell told reporters on Tuesday that he's moving Harry to tight end. At first, plugging in a player like him at that position doesn't really fit the bill, but that applies more to older-style NFL offenses. These days, a guy in the mold of Harry can do some real damage in specialized situations.
So, it's easy to see why he's really excited about the opportunity that's in front of him.
"Very, very. [It's] something new [and it's] something I'm really embracing at this point," Harry told reporters Wednesday when asked about his outlook on the whole idea. "I think it could really work out and I can really be a mismatch at that position. So, I'm very excited."
The Vikings are not only doing a solid by taking Harry out of an extremely crowded wide receiver room (the team currently has 10 other receivers outside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the roster) and giving him a unique role that has a lot of potential, but they told him about this plan a while back, which allowed him to, in his own words, get a head start on the position switch.
"They talked to me about it last year… it's been a big help getting my feet up under me," said Harry. "It was kind of tough, those first, just, simple things like getting out of my stance. It's gone a long way between the beginning of OTAs, until now. Like I said, just being here from the beginning, has really helped me get a head start."
This could really help Harry become a contributor in the Vikings offense
There's obviously a long way to go and we have to see what he can do with pads on, but if this works out, Harry has a legitimate shot to be a contributor in 2024. Especially with the strong likelihood of T.J. Hockenson missing the first four weeks of the season, at minimum.
"I would say, probably just the technique that they use," Harry said when asked about the adjustments he's made from receiver to tight end. "You have to get used to getting into the stance and out of the stance. You know, the route combinations are different than I'm used to. I'm used to being outside, now, I'm attached to the line and in the slot a lot. So, there's some adjustments, but like I said, I got a head start on it. Which really helped me coming into OTAs."
Harry reportedly added 10-pounds over the offseason in an effort to bulk up for the role and he now weighs around 240-pounds. That's obviously not the ideal size for a true tight end in the NFL, but again, this will not be your typical tight end role. He'll be used as mismatch in the red zone and on other occasions when the opposing defense doesn't have the right personnel to match up.
The excitement and want-to is there, which obviously bodes well for Harry, altogether. If he can make this work, not only could it change his career, but the Vikings offense will have yet another playmaker in what should be a pretty good passing attack.
