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The Buffalo Bills and former New Orleans Saints WR Deonte Harty (formerly Deonte Harris) have reached an agreement that brings him to Orchard Park, NY on a two-year deal. The full terms of Harty’s deal have been reported, which you can read in detail here.
Harty represents a dynamic weapon for Buffalo’s offense, and he’s likely to be featured all over the field.
Harty’s deal was confirmed in a series of tweets by Adam Schefter and Field Yates, citing sources on the length and figures of the contract.
Terms: Deonte Hardy gets a $13.5 million max deal from Buffalo, including a $9.5 million base value and $5 million fully guaranteed, per source. https://t.co/UUhVedEncp
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 15, 2023
Nearly a full hour before the signing was verified, Jeremy White of WGR 550 shared a rumor live on air that the Bills might be looking to move on from Isaiah McKenzie, who’s due a roster bonus on Friday.
Little birdie says the Bills might be looking at McKenzie replacement in the form of Deonte Harty, formerly Deonte Harris.
— Jeremy White (@JeremyWGR) March 15, 2023
Small, fast WR, that might add a little more field-stretching.https://t.co/wcNIJy2v3S
Matt Warren tweeted out details of McKenzie’s impending roster bonus in response to Sara Larson saying McKenzie could be a cut candidate.
The Bills owe McKenzie a roster bonus of $250k on Friday. They save almost $2 million in cap space by releasing him before then. https://t.co/mkCDbSK6WK
— Matt Warren (@MattRichWarren) March 15, 2023
Toward the idea of Harty as a replacement for McKenzie, it would seem that his on-field potential exceeds McKenzie’s ability anywhere on the field, per the chart embedded below. Pro Football Focus Senior Software Engineer & Senior Fantasy Analyst Nathan Jahnke’s tweet illustrates that Harty’s route contributions out wide over the past three seasons matches up with some of the NFL’s receiving elite.
Deonte Harty could be a thing for the Bills pic.twitter.com/SJYqFAJDKS
— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) March 15, 2023
The Harty signing appears to be a huge win for One Bills Drive, with multiple teams in the market for his services at a higher figure, per tweets by NYUp.com Bills writer Ryan Talbot and Syracuse.com Bills beat reporter Matt Parrino:
Per source, there was a sizeable market for Deonte Harty. He actually took less money guaranteed from Buffalo as he felt the #Bills were the best fit for his skill set.
— Ryan Talbot (@RyanTalbotBills) March 15, 2023
Harty is a legitimate big play threat. #BillsMafia
(Graphic via @PFF_NateJahnke) https://t.co/x7FANjJy64 pic.twitter.com/kKTwZ0nznR
General manager Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills have now added a diverse receiving weapon for quarterback Josh Allen. It’s fair to expect that Deonte Harty will see action in all sorts of formations and from myriad positions, and even work as a returner on special teams. Harty’s a young (25), incredibly fast (4.35 40-yard dash at his pro day), and diminutive (5’6”, 171 pounds) player who can make a defense pay for missed assignments. With his combination of speed and elusiveness, Harty is a threat to take a punt or kick back to the house every time. Harty first entered the league in 2019, signing with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. Deonte Harty’s stats paint the picture of a player eager to contribute everywhere, and of someone who may have found an opportunity for a much bigger role on offense with the Bills.
Stay locked in here for more news on the Harty signing as it becomes available.
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