FOXBORO, Mass. — N’Keal Harry was disappointed to miss three days of New England Patriots training camp last week. Now, he’s looking to make up for lost time.
“It was definitely tough just because we only have, what, two weeks now until the first game,” the New England Patriots wide receiver said Friday after participating in his sixth straight practice. “That’s something that you never want to happen. But life throws things at you, so you’ve got to adjust.”
Harry has provided several of the most impressive offensive plays in Patriots camp — he looked like one of the best players on the field Monday and Tuesday — but consistency has eluded the 2019 first-round draft pick.
The same could be said about Harry’s injury-shortened rookie season, which featured a number of eye-popping athletic displays but just 12 total regular-season receptions on 24 targets in seven games.
Harry was asked Wednesday whether he’s feeling pressure to produce in Year 2.
“I would use excitement more than pressure,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to getting out there and doing my part to help the team. I just want to do everything I can, and I want to play to the standards I know I can play at. To me, it’s more excitement than anything.”
Harry began working with the Patriots’ top three quarterbacks — Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer — in private throwing sessions during the lead-up to training camp. He also slimmed down during the offseason and trained with a dedicated footwork coach.
“It’s important for me to try to make the quarterbacks as comfortable as possible,” the 22-year-old said. “For me, it’s more of doing my job and just making them feel comfortable. Building trust and making sure whoever’s in there, they have faith in me, and they have faith that I’ll get open and protect them.”
That Harry quote aligns with comments Julian Edelman made about the young wideout after his first practice back from injury. Edelman, the Patriots’ top wideout and one of their longest-tenured players, explained the importance of accountability when asked about Harry last Sunday.
“This is where you begin to gain trust from your teammates,” Edelman said. “You show accountability. You show them how dependable you are through being able to take things from the classroom to drills, and the drills to the team drills. Team practice. It’s one thing to go out and do something right for yourself. I think another reason why I like to go out and do something right or work hard at something is to show my teammates that you’re out here working your tail off for them.”
After choosing not to add any high-profile free agent wideouts and ignoring the position in the 2020 draft, the Patriots will be counting on Harry to significantly outpace his 2019 production this season.
“(Harry is) much more comfortable, has a much better understanding this year than what he did last year,” head coach Bill Belichick said Friday morning. “He’s been productive for us on the field. He still has a lot of football in front of him and a lot of growth and he works hard every day.
“He’s a physical, tough kid that likes to compete. You can see his competitiveness out there on the field, and that allows him to get better. And with his work ethic and toughness and competitiveness, I think those are all good qualities for players to improve and that’s really where all players are in their second year.
“They’re not where they’re going to be, they’re on the way up, and if they work hard and continue to work on the skills and techniques of their craft, they’ll be able to get closer to achieve their potential.”
New England’s receiving corps as a whole has looked questionable in training camp, with only Edelman and Gunner Olszewski contributing on a consistent basis.
