N'Keal Harry appeared very motivated to make the most of his fresh start with the Chicago Bears. But that fresh start will have to wait.
The former New England Patriots wide receiver will undergo surgery Thursday morning to address a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss about eight weeks, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports.
Harry suffered the injury at Bears training camp less than a month after the Patriots traded him to Chicago in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick. An eight-week recovery timeline means he'll miss the entire preseason and at least the Bears' first three regular-season games.
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Harry entered the NFL with high expectations as New England's first-round pick (No. 32 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft and the first wide receiver drafted by the Patriots in the first round since Terry Glenn in 1996. But the Arizona State product never lived up to the hype, mustering just 57 catches and 598 yards over three seasons in New England while missing 16 games due to multiple injuries.
The 24-year-old was excited to revive his career in Chicago, vowing to "show how dominant I can be." Instead, Harry will face another steep challenge in trying to return from an injury mid-season in a new offense.