Will N'Keal Harry play in Week 4 against the Buccaneers?

Once a hot new pick for the New England Patriots, N'Keal Harry has had an eventful start to his career in the worst way possible. The wide receiver has had two unmemorable seasons followed by a preseason injury and trade request. The wide receiver was placed on Injured Reserve with an expected return date of Week 4. As it is now Week 4, many are wondering if the receiver will play.

Will N'Keal Harry see the field this week? If not, what does his future look like? Here's a look at the wide receiver's status going into Week 4.

N'Keal Harry: when will the wide receiver play?

N'Keal Harry was spotted at practice on 29 September, according to Zach Cox. A video posted shows Harry fully decked out in pads and running around on the field. Seeing Harry take the practice field is encouraging for a receiver hoping to play on Sunday. However, it may have been too late in the week for Harry to be ready for Sunday Night Football.

Furthermore, Harry is still listed on the CBS Sports injury report, indicating that Harry isn't in game-ready shape. At least he hasn't given enough reason to be removed from the injury report. Nevertheless, if Harry doesn't play this week, he should be ready to play in Week 5.

For Harry's sake, he should be excited and chomping at the bit for another opportunity. After ending his first two years with a combined total of 414 yards and four touchdowns, Harry has a lot to prove. As it stands, the receiver will likely have to work his way up the depth chart from the third-string spot.

Nelson Agholor with the Philadelphia Eagles at the height of their power

This is a big drop from 2020, when he was the de facto top receiver after the injury to Julian Edelman. N'Keal Harry will have to win over coaches this year to return to the same role from a season ago. He has to show that he's more reliable than Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor and Jakobi Meyers.

After Bourne's highlight reel catch last week, and considering Agholor's established history in the NFL, Harry's work is cut out for him. Luckily for Harry, the next two weeks are favorable matchups in the secondary. If Harry plays this week, he will get to play against the Buccaneers. He will play against the Texans the following week.

The Buccaneers are ranked 27th in the NFL in total defense and 32nd in the NFL in passing defense. Meanwhile, the Texans are ranked 23rd in total defense and 22nd in passing defense. If N'Keal Harry wants to impress in 2021, it will need to be against these teams. If he struggles against two of the bottom-ten defenses in the NFL in his third year, his future in the NFL might be in trouble.