Comments made Wednesday by N'Keal Harry made it abundantly clear: The wide receiver was itching to leave the Patriots.
This obviously isn't an earth-shattering development. Harry requested a trade out of New England in the summer leading up to the 2021 campaign, only to ride it out with the Patriots for the whole season. But the 2019 first-round pick finally had his wish granted a few weeks ago when Bill Belichick and company traded Harry to Chicago in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round selection.
Harry spoke with the media for the first time as a member of the Bears on Wednesday, Chicago's first day of training camp. In doing, so the 24-year-old recalled the moment he found out his Patriots tenure was ending after three seasons.
"I was actually asleep and my manager was at my house and he came downstairs," Harry told reporters, per NBC Sports. "(He) told me I just got traded. When he told me I got traded to the Bears, I was excited. I jumped out of bed. I was just excited, man."
Harry has a chance to experience significant personal development with the Bears, who feature a receiving corps that leaves much to be desired. But the Arizona State product probably isn't bound for success from a team perspective, as Chicago currently has the fourth-longest odds at DraftKings Sportsbook to win Super Bowl LVII and carries a win total projection of 6.5.
