Patriots kick-off 2016 in 88 days: Profiling No. 88 Clay Harbor
Welcome to another installment in Musket Fire’s annual jersey number-dictated New England Patriots kick-off countdown series. For the duration of the summer, we will be profiling the player whose jersey number corresponds with the number of days left until the New England Patriots open the season against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 11. Since today marks 88 days until the Sunday Night Football opener, we are profiling No. 88, veteran tight end Clay Harbor.
Size: 6-foot-3, 255 pounds
College: Missouri State
2015 stats: 14 receptions, 149 yards, touchdown
NFL experience: Six seasons
Hometown: Libertyville, IL
After three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Harbor is looking to spend… another three seasons with the Patriots. Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves; Harbor isn’t even a guarantee to make the final roster.
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That being said, the placement of Michael Williams on injured reserve this week increases Harbor’s chances of lasting through the summer and becoming the No. 3 tight end for the Patriots this season. He posses four more years of NFL experience than the other three tight ends not named Rob Gronkowski or Martellus Bennett combined (A.J. Derby, Bryce Williams and Steven Scheu).
Recent installments in Patriots kick-off countdown profile series:
91 days – No. 91 Jamie Collins
92 days – No. 92 Geneo Grissom
The question is whether or not Harbor’s skill set is differentiated enough to force Bill Belichick to keep him around. Is he a good enough blocker? Does he possess much in the way of receiving capability? We’ll have to keep a close eye on Harbor’s development in New England as the summer progresses.
Tomorrow marks 87 days until the Patriots open 2016, so be sure to stop by Musket Fire as we profile the owner of the No. 87 jersey, tight end Rob Gronkowski. You may have heard of him before.