N’Keal Harry’s time with the Patriots came to a close Tuesday, but the former 2019 first-round wide receiver could be what the Bears and Justin Fields need.
New England reportedly traded Harry to Chicago for a 2024 seventh-round pick. The trade opens up a spot in a competitive wide receiver group for the Patriots, and the Bears buy-low at a spot they are lacking.
Harry joins a Bears receiver group featuring Darnell Mooney, rookie Velus Jones Jr., Dante Pettis, Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown. Those are the most notable names Fields will likely target in the 2022-23 season, including tight end Cole Kmet.
A trade like this could open up some low-risk bets to wager one. Here are four to consider if Harry makes the Bears’ final roster, odds according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Fields Over 3,350.5 passing yards (-110), Over 14.5 interceptions (-110)
On the surface, this may seem like a contradictory bet. However, the Bears are not projected to be a good football team this season. They have +1400 odds to win the NFC North, so a $100 bet would pay out $1500. This means Chicago head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will need to air it out to remain competitive throughout the 18-week season, and they will need to air it out if they fall behind early.
Through 12 games last year, Fields threw for 1,870 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. To put this into context, Jalen Hurts threw for 3,144 passing yards, and the Philadelphia Eagles became more of a run-first team down the stretch. The interceptions will certainly be there for Fields with a theoretical higher pass rate over expectation and a weak offensive line, but the 23-year-old QB can add to his passing yards total along the way. A $100 bet on these props would net a total pay out of $381.82
Darnell Mooney Over 950.5 receiving yards (-115)
Mooney enters his third year in the NFL, and he has gotten better as his role as increased. The 24-year-old is expected to be the No. 1 option for Fields, and he should be able to come close to the mark of this prop. Last season, Mooney caught 81 passes off 140 targets for 1,055 receiving yards. The market is expecting a regression, especially with the state of the Bears offense. But Harry’s inclusion could be a benefit as if a change in scenery is indeed what the former Patriot needs, that would open up more one-on-one opportunities for Mooney. A $100 bet on this prop would pay out $186.96.
Jakobi Meyers Over 750.5 receiving yards (-110)
Admittedly, Harry was likely not going to be a significant factor in Meyers’ production for the Patriots this year. However, the 25-year-old will have one less member of the receiving group to contend with. It’s unknown where Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia want to take the Patriots offense. It’s likely they’ll stick with the run-first approach of last season, but Jones has been putting in more work during the offseason.
The 23-year-old signal-caller thrived on efficiency last season, completing over 67% of his passes. New England will hope for similar results, and it could be to the benefit of Meyers. Last season, he caught 83 passes on 146 targets to go with 866 receiving yards. If the Patriots’ passing offense expands more this season, as Jones is given more trust, receivers like Meyers will benefit huge.
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