The Minnesota Vikings are changing things up across the board on offense.
Kirk Cousins is out, J.J. McCarthy is in, and N’Keal Harry is moving to tight end. At least, that is what Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell declared on Tuesday, according to Ari Meirov on Twitter/X.
According to O’Connell, Harry is “fired up” about the change.
The wide receiver had as good of a start in the NFL as one could hope for. Bill Belichick drafted Harry to the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. However, since that moment, Harry has fallen on hard times.
Per Pro Football Reference, the wide receiver has yet to earn his first 1000 total yards in his career. His most productive year came in 2020 when he earned just 309 yards and two touchdowns. He has failed to earn 200 yards in a season.
N’Keal Harry receives Hail Mary shot at NFL career with Minnesota Vikings
However, it appears that the Vikings head coach saw some potential in Harry at a different position. Tight ends are usually taller than a running back but much thicker. In terms of body type, they often echo closer to offensive linemen than receivers.
If they were faster and skinnier, all tight ends would be wide receivers. With Harry transferring to tight end, the pass-catcher could look much different in 2024.
That said, the change could be a Hail Mary for the former wide receiver’s career. Tim Tebow infamously tried transferring to tight end when he returned from his long absence from the NFL. However, it ended up as his final stop.
Harry is only halfway through his 20s, offering a small glimpse of hope that he could salvage a lucrative contract when all is said and done. According to Spotrac, the wide receiver turned tight end is set to make just over $1 million in 2024.
The new tight end has an uphill climb toward earning a spot on the roster, let alone the top spot on the team. T.J. Hockenson has a vicegrip on the starting role. Harry is set to battle veteran Johnny Mundt for the team’s fourth-string spot.
Assuming he can win that role, he would then be faced with former Packers veteran Robert Tonyan, who has years more experience at the position than Harry. For the experiment to pay off, N’Keal Harry would need to climb his way solidly into the middle of the pack.
Of course, with the practice squad as a fallback option, the footballer may have some extra weeks to learn his craft. However, will it come to that?
Hopefully, this move pays off for both the Minnesota Vikings and Harry. He has had a rough go of it at the NFL level and a switch to tight end may be exactly what he needs to get back on track.
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