Former Patriots first-round pick N'Keal Harry requests trade

[RELATED: Patriots WR N’Keal Harry Requests Trade]

New England still owes Harry a bit more than $2 million in guaranteed salary. However, as Volin observes, that number would be reduced based on how much money Harry received from his next team. It’s worth noting that the receiver is set to earn a fully guaranteed salary of $1.413 million in 2021, and his minimum salary would be set around $850,000, so the Patriots would at most be on the hook for around $500,000 if they cut him.

For comparison’s sake, the Patriots would be left with cap charges of $1.341 million in both 2021 and 2022 if they found a trade suitor for Harry. In other words, it really only makes sense for the Patriots to trade the 23-year-old if they receive an asset that they value more than the ~$800,000 ($1.34 million-$500,000) in cap relief.

Furthermore, releasing Harry might make more sense from a practical standpoint. Teams won’t be looking to give away anything significant for the potential bust, and as Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston writes, the Patriots have been trying to trade Harry throughout the offseason. If the Patriots had already received a logical offer for the wideout, he’d probably be gone, and it’s unlikely that Tuesday’s development will change the market all that much. In fact, Curran opines that the trade request is simply Harry’s attempt to “save face” before he’s inevitably dumped.

Through his agent, Harry requested a trade from the Patriots on Tuesday. The Arizona State product has disappointed since being selected with the No. 32 pick in the 2019 draft. Through two seasons, Harry has hauled in 45 receptions on 414 yards and four scores. Harry had a chance to prove himself in 2020 with a depleted depth chart, but he’ll have a tougher time getting looks in 2021 following the additions of Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor (plus tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith).