Would a N'Keal Harry trade make sense for the Chiefs?
On Tuesday afternoon, NFL Networks Mike Garafolo shared a statement from Harrys agent, Jamal Tooson. The statement formally requested that Harry be traded from New England, two seasons removed from being drafted with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. For the past several months, I have been working in cooperation with the Patriots behind the scenes to put a plan in place to allow NKeal (Harry) to thrive in New England, Tooson wrote, via Garafolo. Through two seasons, he has 86 targets, which obviously hasnt met the expectations the Patriots and NKeal had when they drafted a dominant downfield threat who was virtually unstoppable at the point of attack in college. Following numerous conversations with the Patriots, I believe its time for a fresh start and best for both parties if NKeal moves on before the start of training camp. Thats why I have informed the Patriots today I am formally requesting a trade on behalf of my client.  Statement from #Patriots WR NKeal Harrys agent Jamal Tooson, who has formally requested a trade for the 2019 first-round pick. pic.twitter.com/3xdJbbar28  Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 6, 2021  At face value, a trade to acquire Harry seems like itd be right up Brett Veachs alley. No front office in the NFL has shown more willingness to take on so-called reclamation projects as of late than the Chiefs. It has worked out for Kansas City to varying degrees of success, with trade acquisitions like Reggie Ragland, Cam Erving, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Darron Lee all making contributions. Some believe that the Chiefs have a very clear need at the receiver position with the departure of Sammy Watkins. The team did show some interest in free agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster before he re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That was before the addition of rookie WR Cornell Powell through the 2021 NFL draft. Theyve also added a few players to the 90-man offseason roster during the course of OTAs and minicamp. When minicamp broke Chiefs HC Andy Reid said hes comfortable with the receivers that the team currently has. All of that shouldnt preclude the front office from trying to improve the receiver position ahead of training camp, though. Those are things that we cant exactly predict. In two seasons with the Patriots, Harry has only managed 414 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Thats hardly good production in the NFL and not even half of the totals that Mecole Hardman has in the past two seasons. What we do know is that the Chiefs did show interest in NKeal Harry ahead of the 2019 NFL draft, but the team was without a first-round pick after the Frank Clark trade. Harry revealed to Chiefs Wire that he had been interviewed by Kansas City at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, but he didnt specify whether it was a formal or informal interview. One thing that could dissuade the Chiefs from making a trade for Harry is his rookie contract. He would cost Kansas City $1.4 million in cap space in 2021 and $3.2 million in cap space in 2022. If theyre not certain they can turn him around, thats quite a bit of money to commit to a player. At the same time, he still has a fifth-year club option that could prove appealing if the team is confident in their ability to utilize Harry. Ultimately, it all comes down to how the Chiefs evaluate and value a player like Harry. If they see him as someone who can come in and immediately play that X receiver role vacated by Watkins, a trade would be a no-brainer. At the same time, maybe they can avoid making a trade. If the Patriots cant find a trade partner for Harry, its possible that he doesnt make it through 53-man roster cuts. Sometimes patience is rewarded in the NFL, so perhaps waiting on this one would be the best course of action for Kansas City.