Patriots reportedly release wide receiver Maurice Harris
May 23, 2019; Foxborough, MA: New England Patriots wide receiver Maurice Harris catches a pass during organized team activities at Gillette Stadium practice field. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)
With a suddenly crowded receiving group and a massive cutdown day looming following next week’s preseason finale, the Patriots have decided to release wide receiver Maurice Harris, The Patriots have released veteran WR Maurice Harris, per source.
A non-tendered restricted free agent, the ex-Redskins wideout signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Patriots on Mar. 14, Harris seemed to pop off the jump, hauling in three of his five targets for 27 yards and a touchdown in the team’s preseason opener against the Lions.
Touchdown #Patriots! Maurice Harris with the one-handed grab! pic.twitter.com/2Ze01qqPKV
— Casey Baker (@_CaseyBaker) August 9, 2019
But Harris suffered an injury the following week during the team’s joint practices with the Titans, and was unable to get back on the field in the last two preseason tilts. (Injuries have unfortunately been a theme of Harris’ NFL career.)
Those struggles, along with the activation of Julian Edelman, Demaryius Thomas, and now Josh Gordon, over the last week undoubtedly hurt Harris’ chances of making New England’s 53-man roster.
With Harris gone, the Patriots’ wideout group now features Edelman, Thomas, Gordon, N’Keal Harry, Phillip Dorsett III, Jakobi Meyers, Braxton Berrios, Ryan Davis, Damoun Patterson, Gunner Olszewski, Cam Meredith (on PUP list), and wide receiver in name only Matthew Slater.
