N’Keal Harry has struggled to carve out a role as a receiver during his professional career. Now, the former first-round pick will be looking to make an NFL roster as a tight end. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that Harry will be switching positions ahead of the 2024 campaign.
“N’Keal is really fired up about it,” O’Connell said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “He has attacked the process, long before we even got started in the offseason program. But you’re hoping to see the receiving traits lead the way early on, as they get a little more comfort in maybe having their hand down, being a part of run schemes, the different kind of run schemes that we’re implementing, and N’Keal has shown that. . . . At this stage in his career a position change is unique, but we’re hoping we’re developing a guy who can be a real third-down weapon, red-zone weapon, with his skill set.”
Harry was a bust in New England, as the Arizona State product was unable to click with Tom Brady, Cam Newton, and Mac Jones. His best season came in 2020, when he hauled in 33 catches for 309 yards and two scores. Otherwise, his Patriots tenure saw him collect another 24 receptions. He caught seven passes for the Bears in 2022 before spending the 2023 campaign as a special teamer in Minnesota.
This position change should only help the 26-year-old’s chances of making the 2024 roster. Andrew Krammer of The Star Tribune passed along yesterday that star tight end T.J. Hockenson will likely start the season on injured reserve as he recovers from a torn ACL. That would open a spot on the depth chart for at least the first four weeks of the season.
The Vikings will return the same TE grouping next season, meaning Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt will be the likeliest candidates to fill in for Hockenson. Harry would be competing with the likes of Nick Muse and veteran Robert Tonyan for one of the final spots on the depth chart.
He might as well just head to the UFL at this point.
You could move him to New Zealand and it wouldn’t matter.
Has this move from failed WR to TE ever worked out? It’s an honest question but maybe im just remembering only recent cases like Kelvin Benjamin. I don’t know that there’s a success story in NFL history
Darren Waller, but can’t think of any beyond that. Dan Arnold was OK for a minute.
Only other serviceable on I can think of is Logan Thomas .. who’s now a 49er
I.e. he’ll only be on the field to block
Coming outa Ariz st some publications said he had best hands in his draft. Has had trouble getn separation from DBs. Gonna need to bulk-up if he’s up there playing w/big uglies, even if he’s just mostly a small pass recieving TE. Still gonna be running w/linebackers faster than him.
Yikes!…. I may have to make apologies to Ryan Poles because I was certain Marcedes Lewis was the worst choice for a TE.
Lewis would slap you with the back of his pinky and you would cry and call TMZ. Don’t disrespect one of the greatest tight ends of our generation. You don’t play 18 years being a chump like you’re describing. No need to be bold. Your comment is bar comedy napkin fodder.
The chump is the GM who signs a 40 year old player expecting him to still have anything left.
Lewis was a great blocker. Judging TE by passing yards is dumb.
I’m surprised no one ever tried that with Claypool. Certainly big enough to block, and his speed underneath could create havoc.
To play TE you have to have guts. Claypool has none. All he wanted to do was run fast and long and catch TD’s. The rest of the game doesn’t interest him in the least. It’s really a shame because the guy has all the tools to be great, Just like the lion all he needs is a heart.
If N’Keal Harry can’t catch balls as a wide receiver, how in the world does he become a sure-handed TE?
Catch ratio 50%!