The New England Patriots parted ways with Josh Gordon, but Mohamed Sanu and N’Keal Harry can help Bill Belichick’s squad go undefeated in the regular season for the second time in the evil genius’ reign in Foxboro.
It is almost impossible to fathom how good the New England Patriots defense has been this season. They have embarrassed quarterback after quarterback, allowing fewer than four net yards per pass attempt while forcing an average of more than three turnovers per game. Opposing teams are barely averaging a touchdown per game against the Patriots.
But New England is always looking to get stronger, filling holes and ironing out wrinkles before somehow looking 10 times better whenever the postseason gets underway. One player who could make the Pats that much scarier in January is rookie wide receiver N’Keal Harry, the team’s first-round pick in this year’s draft.
The mismatch-maker out of Arizona State has yet to feature in a game this season due to injury, but the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that New England is now activating the receiver off of injured reserve.
New England are already 8-0 and don’t look like they are at risk of losing any time soon, but they haven’t been at their usual elite standard on offense. Although the Patriots are first in the league in points per game, many of those points have been either scored directly by the defense or created by a shortened field from turnovers. Meanwhile, the Pats are just 16th in the league in yards per game, 16th in net yards per pass attempt and 31st in yards per carry.
The big issue has been a lack of weapons at wide receiver and tight end, and with Josh Gordon now gone, the Pats need one more player in addition to trade acquisition Mohamed Sanu. With his soft hands, incredible strength, devastating moves after the catch, versatility in the slot, contested catch ability and commanding 6-foot-4 frame, Harry can be the final piece to the puzzle.
It’ll take some time for Harry to find his footing in the complex Patriots offense, but while he’s missed a large chunk of time due to injury he’s also had plenty of time to sit back and focus on getting up to speed mentally. By the time the postseason rolls around, Harry could be a force to be reckoned with. But even before January, Harry can give the Patriots’ wide receiver corps a much-needed boost as a big target for Tom Brady, who definitely needs more help.
The Patriots offense has shown signs of weakness this season, but with Harry and Sanu in the fold and an elite defense behind Brady, the Pats are well on their way to putting together another season for the ages under Bill Belichick.