Will N’Keal Harry get a chance to shine for the Patriots on Sunday?
FOXBOROUGH — A bigger role could be in store for Patriots rookie N’Keal Harry when the Dallas Cowboys come to town this weekend.
Wide receivers Phillip Dorsett (concussion), Julian Edelman (shoulder), and Mohamed Sanu (ankle) were listed as questionable ahead of Sunday’s game, leaving Harry and Jakobi Meyers as the only two receivers who fully participated in practice this week.
Should the rookies end up being primary options for quarterback Tom Brady, coach Bill Belichick doesn’t seem to find the situation particularly distressing.
“You can go into every game with the 46 players, and three plays into the game, it could be different,’’ Belichick said. “Not all of those players may be available, so you have to have depth on your roster to handle whatever situations come up. We’ll do our best to do that in all phases of the game. That’s the way it is every week.’’
Sunday’s game will be just the second of Harry’s NFL career. The 21-year-old first-round draft pick started the season on injured reserve with an ankle injury suffered during training camp. In the six weeks since he rejoined the team, Harry already has developed a favorable reputation on the practice field.
“[Rookie cornerback Joejuan Williams] and N’Keal irritate the other side of the ball more than any players at practice,’’ said captain Devin McCourty. “Those are two of our most competitive guys.’’
That competitiveness and that work ethic have facilitated a relatively smooth return for Harry, whose size and athleticism make him an intriguing target. Patriots wide receivers coach Joe Judge said Harry (6 feet 4 inches, 225 pounds) is continuing to show signs of improvement, despite being forced to play catch-up.
As Harry logs more live snaps with Brady, Judge believes the pair’s timing should only get better. No matter how much studying Harry does, learning where the ball will be on a specific route and developing a feel for the pace of the game can be a challenge if there aren’t opportunities to execute on the field.
“The biggest thing you miss on IR as a rookie is the day-in, day-out practice repetitions with the team,’’ Judge said. “You can’t be with the team. You can’t be doing competitive reps. While you’re picking up the concepts and the offense and the rules, that’s different than going at 100 miles per hour and having to make those adjustments at full speed.’’
Harry is the latest new face to join a position group that has largely been in flux this season, but Judge brushed off the notion that the wide receiver room is frustrated. He emphasized that the team is just focused on progressing every day, a message players have reiterated.
“We’re just continually trying to improve, go out and practice hard, and do what we have to do to make plays in the game,’’ Julian Edelman said Friday. “That’s what we’re going to continue to try to do.’’
In spite of the seemingly constant changes in personnel, Judge said there has never been a shift in the team’s sense of urgency. The Patriots’ focus, he said, is always on wins. Whether they’re earned predominantly through offense, defense, or special teams doesn’t matter.
Even at 9-1, Judge noted it’s important for the team to stay hungry.
“You go in the next day on Monday and you’re as critical as you can be on every technique and every assignment,’’ Judge said. “You make sure every player gets everything they need to go out there the next day and execute it correctly. That’s what they want when they come in on Mondays. They don’t want you to pat them on the back and say, ‘Atta boy.’ ’’
That attitude is one Judge hopes Harry will embody this week and beyond.
“It’s tough to hang around here if you don’t,’’ he said. “I don’t know what it’s like with 31 other teams, but I know here if you come out there and you don’t give it 100 percent, you don’t practice, you don’t improve, and you’re not dependable, you stick out like a sore thumb. That’s tough to deal with.’’
Harry wasn’t available to speak to the media on Friday, but he was saying all the right things after his regular-season debut against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I’ve got a lot to work on and a lot to focus on moving forward,’’ he said.
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