Chicago Bears sign receiver N’Keal Harry in a trade with the New England Patriots for a 2024 seventh-round draft pick

The Chicago Bears have traded a 2024 seventh-round draft pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for wide receiver N’Keal Harry.

Harry was selected by the Patriots with the 32nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Arizona State.

He featured in 33 regular season games for New England, recording 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns.

The 2020 season was the most productive one of his career to date, when he had 33 receptions for 309 yards and two touchdowns.

Harry also played in two post-season games for the Patriots, starting one of them and finishing with two receptions for 21 yards.

As the underwhelming career stats suggest, he hasn’t met the standards normally expected from a first-round draft pick yet.

Fresh start for N’Keal Harry

At 24, the trade represents a fresh start for the wide receiver and with Chicago in need at the wide receiver position, the Bears could be the perfect landing spot.

For Chicago it’s a low-risk gamble that is worth taking from their side, as they have lost very little in trading for Harry.

Harry may well have been released by the Patriots, had New England been unable find a willing trade partner, but if he has a productive season, then a seventh-round pick would represent great value.

Chicago have given up a late round draft pick to see if they can get the best out of a player that was taken ahead of the likes of Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown in 2019.

Expectation from the fanbase in Chicago is low, with Harry not even guaranteed to make the roster for the regular season.

He will have to prove himself in training camp and pre-season to earn his place on the team like any other player.

However, having had a tough start to his career, he should at the very least be arriving in Chicago with a chip on his shoulder, which could benefit the Bears.

Boost for Chicago Bears

Allen Robinson left in free agency to join the Rams, leaving Darnell Mooney as the team’s best receiving option.

Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown both arrived in free agency and the Bears also drafted Velus Jones Jr. in the third round this year too.

Despite adding depth at wide receiver, the Bears are relatively unproven at the position.

Even the best receiver on the team, Mooney, has to continue to impress and establish himself as an elite receiver in the league.

If the Bears can somehow find a way to kickstart Harry’s career, the team will be looking significantly better at wide receiver than they do as of now.