The Demetrius Harris Project & my reservations about it
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
It doesn’t help that Harris has spent most of the preseason on the shelf. He recently returned from the reserve/physically unable to perform list, but offensive coordinator Doug Pederson says it’ll be a few more weeks before he’s ready to contribute:
"“It’s just a matter of him getting his sea legs back with him. From our standpoint, it’s great to have him back and to see him back on the field, but really for him to get himself into football shape is kind of the expectation we have going forward. It’s just a matter of him processing the stuff we’ve been doing throughout camp.”"
Key offensive players aren’t expected to play much in the preseason finale with the St. Louis Rams on Thursday, but Harris may get significant snaps to help him shake off the cobwebs and begin the process of re-conditioning himself for the regular season. It’ll be the staff’s first real look at Harris, in a live game situation, since the start of the offseason’s fourth phase. I’ll be watching closely for signs of life (read: progress). With No. 2 wide receiver Albert Wilson injured, the Chiefs are starved for a reliable third option in the passing game behind Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce.
It’s highly possible the Chiefs will keep a close eye on the waiver wire as the next round of cuts are due by Saturday afternoon, but I’d venture to guess that Kelce, O’Shaughnessy, and Harris will ultimately occupy the three spots they’ll allot for tight ends on the 2015 roster. Time will tell if Harris is the man Andy Reid hopes he’ll become. For now, “Get well, Travis Kelce.”
What say you, readers? Are you a believer in the Demetrius Harris hype? What, if anything, has he shown you on the field that leads you to believe he can become a bona fide NFL tight end? Should the Chiefs be looking into a veteran tight end to shore up depth at the position? Use the comment section below to chime in. As always, we appreciate your readership and support.
Until next time, Addicts!