N'Keal Harry remains with the New England Patriots for training camp, but will the 2019 first-round pick have a spot on the roster when the regular season begins?
It seemed unlikely when he requested a trade through his agent last month. After two rocky seasons to begin his NFL career, it didn't come as a shock that a change of scenery probably was in Harry's future.
Curran: Jones' workload continues to be heavy at Pats camp
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
But in a recent press conference, Harry changed his tune saying he'd be "very OK" with being a Patriot if a trade doesn't happen. Since then, he's been one of the more impressive receivers at camp according to our Phil Perry.
So, what do we make of Harry's future -- or lack thereof -- with the Patriots? What's the best-case scenario? Perry discusses it all on a brand new episode of the Next Pats Podcast.
Next Pats Podcast: Which young Patriots have seen their stock rise in training camp? | Listen & Follow | Watch on YouTube
New England Patriots
Find the latest New England Patriots news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
"I don't think he's sticking around," Perry said. "But, that said, he's played well. He's shown us everything that he should be as a receiver. We know he's not the fastest guy, we know he's not the quickest guy, but he's got a big body and he's got a big catch radius, and his hands are pretty good for a large man. At least, they have been this camp. We saw him on Day 6 of practice make three really phenomenal catches in the 1-on-1 period, all in tight coverage. ...
"He's making the most of his opportunities here. I just don't think he's going to have a role -- unless you see Kendrick Bourne or Jakobi Meyers get banged up -- I just don't see how N'Keal Harry has a role here in New England because I don't think that many receivers period are going to have a significant role here this year with the amount that we're expecting Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith to play."
With the tight ends likely to be a bigger part of the Patriots offense than the receiving core, Perry believes Harry's days in New England are numbered.
"There's just not going to be a ton of targets and yards to go around, I don't think, for this receiver group barring a change," Perry added. "Meaning N'Keal Harry, you're trending up so congratulations on that, I'm not sure how much longer you're going to be on the Patriots."
Also in the new episode: Why Mac Jones’ stock is on the rise. Can Jakobi Meyers make a leap in Year 3? And whose stock is down this training camp?
Check out the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch on YouTube below: