New England Patriots rookie wide receiver N’Keal Harry returned to the practice field on the first day he was eligible Tuesday. Harry still has two weeks left on injured reserve before he can play in a game, but the Patriots at least began the process of transitioning their 2019 first-round pick back onto the field this week.
Patriots veteran wide receiver Phillip Dorsett made sure to keep Harry involved throughout the first six weeks of the 2019 season. Dorsett and Harry’s lockers are situated next to each other at Gillette Stadium.
“We’ve stayed on him,” Dorsett said. “I know I’ve stayed on him, talking to him every day about it. Just making sure that he’s in shape mentally, physically, emotionally, making sure he’s ready to play. Obviously, he has some time. He has to catch up, but he’ll be fine.”
Dorsett was asked if he felt like he had to mentor Harry as one of the few players in the Patriots wide receiver room who actually has extensive experience in New England’s offense.
“It’s not like I have to. I want to,” Dorsett said. “He’s a good guy. He’s my teammate. I want him to succeed just as much as I want to succeed. At the end of the day, if he succeeds, this team succeeds. We all have one goal. We want to win. And we know that he knows that he can help us win.”
Harry will join Dorsett, Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon and fellow rookies Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski on the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart after he’s activated off of injured reserve. Gordon missed practice Tuesday with a knee injury suffered Thursday night in the Patriots’ 35-14 win over the New York Giants.
