N'Keal Harry 'Trending In Right Direction,' But Belichick Mum On Receiver Playing Vs. Ravens
BOSTON (CBS) -- After spending the start of his rookie season on IR, N'Keal Harry is eligible to make his Patriots debut Sunday night in Baltimore. But as is usually the case, New England head coach Bill Belichick isn't saying much about the rookie's status against the Ravens.
Asked about his first-round pick during a Tuesday morning conference call, Belichick said that Harry is "trending in the right direction." But he didn't say whether that means the Patriots will activate Harry ahead of Sunday's tilt.
Harry has been practicing the last two weeks, and the Patriots don't need to add him to the 53-man roster until after Sunday's game. If Harry isn't on the roster by Nov. 4, he'll land back on IR and be done for the season.
But the belief has always been that the rookie pass-catcher would be back when eligible, and the Patriots have until Saturday to activate him for Sunday's game. It's possible that they keep him out of the lineup in Baltimore, and then really ramp things up in practice during their bye week.
While it's never a guarantee that a rookie receiver will make an impact in the New England offense, Harry's 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame would certainly be a welcome addition to Tom Brady's arsenal.