Patriots should look to add Kelvin Harmon after Washington release
By Mike Luciano
The New England Patriots are fresh off a 22-13 preseason against Ron Rivera and the Washington Football Team, but that this team is satisfied with the back end of their roster.
Some sneaky free agent picks, including wide receiver Kelvin Harmon, could be exactly what this team needs.
Harmon was considered one of the steals of the 2019 NFL Draft, as the North Carolina State alum fell to the sixth round despite the widely-held belief that he would come off the board somewhere on Day 2.
Washington looked poised to unleash his tremendous ability to secure difficult catches on an unsuspecting NFL.
Unfortunately, Harmon was released by Washington on Sunday, as he didn’t look like the same player after an ACL injury that cost him the entire 2020 season. After his club signed Curtis Samuel to be the No. 2 target next to Terry McLaurin, Harmon wasn’t considered a valued enough asset to keep on the roster.
New England has been able to consistently find treasure amid other team’s trash over the years, and adding Harmon to compete with the likes of N’Keal Harry and former NC State teammate Jakobi Meyers wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.
Washington is activating WR Curtis Samuel from PUP.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 15, 2021
It is also releasing WR Kelvin Harmon and CB Chris Miller
Kelvin Harmon could make for a solid Patriots addition.
While Meyers had more receptions than Harmon during their final season in Raleigh, Harmon had him beat in yards, yards per reception, and touchdowns. While not as fleet of foot or equipped to play inside as Meyers, Harmon’s sticky fingers could be his meal ticket in New England.
Despite playing with a rookie Dwayne Haskins at quarterback for a lame-duck head coach in Jay Gruden, Harmon started eight games and recorded 30 catches for 365 yards. If he didn’t tear his ACL, it appears that he was in line to be one of Washington’s impact receivers last year.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1198668602238369793
Harmon is not going to be a speed demon that gets open deep down the field, but the Patriots can use someone who knows how to use his size and leaping ability to be a red-zone threat if utilized properly within the offense. Neither Nelson Agholor nor Kendrick Bourne are prototypical contested-catch specialists like Harmon.
At just 24 years old, some team that liked him in the draft a few years ago will be willing to take a shot on him.
There is no such thing as having too many good wide receivers in the modern NFL, and adding a former draft darling like Harmon could prove to be very fruitful. If New England is pleased with how he looks physically, why not try to get some extra competition for Meyers and Harry in there?
