Patriots: N’Keal Harry already missing practice is bad for his development

Patriots WR N’Keal Harry missing practice already is a bad sign.

If the New England Patriots have any hope of making the playoffs and potentially advancing further than they did last year, their offense is going to have to step up in a big way. Luckily for them, the arrival of Cam Newton could really prove to elevate the group’s ceiling.

When it comes to the wide receiver position, Julian Edelman simply cannot be depended on as much as he was in 2019. We’re not saying the 34-year-old isn’t capable of having another big year — he recorded 100 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns last season — but having another player rise to the occasion would really help create more balance on offense.

That’s what makes the sophomore campaign of N’Keal Harry so pivotal. Unfortunately for the 2019 first-round pick, he was a surprise absence at the Patriots’ latest practice. We hate to be alarmists, but if this is a sign of things to come, Harry’s development could be derailed for the second consecutive preseason.

It wasn’t just this session, either. The latest buzz out of New England suggests Harry has been absent at all three of the team’s practices this week. What’s so concerning about this narrative is that nobody has been able to gather any information on it.

We’re not going to speculate, but it’s worth mentioning that the Arizona State product suffered an ankle injury during training camp last year and was subsequently placed on injured reserve, which sidelined him for the first seven weeks of the season. To say this hindered his development would be an understatement as he fell down the receiver pecking order before returning.

In seven games (five starts), Harry compiled 12 receptions for 105 yards and two scores. The 22-year-old certainly flashed potential as a rookie, but for a second-year wideout who desperately needs to establish a rapport with a new quarterback, this isn’t a great sign.

We’re not saying Patriots fans should press the panic button just yet, but Harry is going to have to return to the field in the coming days for our concerns to be quelled. Heck, even an update on his status would suffice.