Bills sign WR Deonte Harty

[jamze132]

That’s an expensive punt catcher right there!

Too bad we gave up on Hodgins…

[DraftBoy]

This is an interesting signing. I don’t know think they signed him to be just a returner based on Beane’s history. He loves to go bargain bin digging hoping to unearth a gem. I would expect Hardy to be the primary punt returner, secondary kick returner, and slot WR.

I don’t think is good for those hoping for a Beasley return.

[Novacane]

Thanks!

I guess this is one of those moves where we have to “trust the process”

That **** has gotten old. The process can go fly a kite.

[Historian]

He's a WR .... with return skills.

Allows Hines to be more involved in our offense.

He's wicked fast.

Okay, so let me get this straight.

You want to take a return guy who returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in one game, so as to put him in an offense that passes 85% of the time.

Then sign a 5'6 wide receiver to run one jetsweep every 2-3 games.

Gotcha.

[John Doe]

Harty was not signed to be a prime returner. He muffs punts way too often for that.

Looking at his play on the field as a WR - he looks to have good hands, the ability to get separation, and (of course) deep speed.

If this guy can stay healthy he can add a lot to the offense.

[Night Train]

So I googled Harty and watched his highlights on my phone from 2020 and 2021 this morning.. while waiting for the AARP taxman to give me the annual bad news.

He was still going by the name of Harris. Changed name to honor his step-father, who treated him and his mother well. A positive.

Returned kicks
Ran jet sweeps
Ran end arounds
Bubble screens
Slants from the slot
Go routes wide
Was open on most catches. CB's weren't close to him.

A far quicker Mckenzie, IMO. I also heard the WGR radio guys saying Bills have an easy out after 1 year. Whatever.

He's is short... probably an inch shorter than Beasley. CB's gave him a lot of cushion, fearing the deep speed.


He gets his shot for 2023. Welcome. Like Hines, find ways to get him on the field and use the speed. Up to Dorsey.

[mightysimi]

Heard on a podcast this morning about an interesting metric so take with a grain of salt.

For yards per route run, so showing when they are on the field how productive they were.

1. Amon-Ra St. Brown
2. Tyreek Hill
3. AJ Brown
4. Deonte Harty
5. Davonte Adams

Now obviously the others have had way more opportunity to do it but it does show he is productive on offence. Even as a little guy.

[Saratoga Slim]

Watching his highlights got me over the "meh" hump and into "OK let's see what this looks like with Josh Allen." I still see role player, but dude can move. Definitely adds a vertical threat we don't have. Hoepfully he can stay on the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvE2fzKteiA

[swiper]

Talked to a DC who faced Deonte Harty while he was at New Orleans in 2021 (pre injury). "Explosive. Better receiver than he gets credit for. Not a one-trick pony on that front." I've had a number of people confirm what @nick_underhill told me, that Harty can run the full rte tree

— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) March 16, 2023

[kgun12]

That **** has gotten old. The process can go fly a kite.

Yeah, I hate the term, I meant this sarcastically.

[YardRat]

Well good. What Josh really needed was another deep threat to chuck bombs at while all of the open guys underneath get ignored.

[Woodman]

That’s an expensive punt catcher right there!

Too bad we gave up on Hodgins…

It's a 6 catch limit he was over 7th so back he goes.

We carried him the first two years.

[Woodman]

Harty was not signed to be a prime returner. He muffs punts way too often for that.

Looking at his play on the field as a WR - he looks to have good hands, the ability to get separation, and (of course) deep speed.

If this guy can stay healthy he can add a lot to the offense.

Taking the top off ..... Josh should really enjoy this kid.

[Woodman]

That **** has gotten old. The process can go fly a kite.

If it's lucky.

Screw the flippin process.

[Woodman]

Okay, so let me get this straight.

You want to take a return guy who returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in one game, so as to put him in an offense that passes 85% of the time.

Then sign a 5'6 wide receiver to run one jetsweep every 2-3 games.

Gotcha.

This kid is gonna take the top off and open everything else up.

Go ahead single cover him at your own risk.

SPEED ****ING KILLS!

He's not here for gadget plays primarily JMO I'm also not saying that any won't occasionally take place.

Play to strengths his is nasty speed and hands.

[John Doe]

Well good. What Josh really needed was another deep threat to chuck bombs at while all of the open guys underneath get ignored.

Most of Harty's receptions have been short routes that he turns into YAC.

[Woodman]

Most of Harty's receptions have been short routes that he turns into YAC.

Definitely works for me.

[Mr. Pink]

So we decided to keep Nyheim and then went out and signed another returner?

What part of the process is this besides idiocy.

We just signed Papa Smurf who's never had any kind of role in an NFL offense. There's apparently something wrong with his game besides his size because the entire league is enamored with speed which he has plenty of. Can he not get off the line with jams? Does he not run good routes? Does he have bad hands? Can he not find holes in a zone? Can he not take hits?

There is obviously something to his game that is negative that doesn't keep him on the field much.

[jamze132]

I’m not convinced we’ll tap into this kid’s talent because he’s not Josh. Our system seems to be Josh and…Josh. Dorsey needs to get a clue.

[YardRat]

Most of Harty's receptions have been short routes that he turns into YAC.

Not seeing it in his highlights, and even the stats from his most productive season don't back that up...the YAC/catch and YAC yards as a percentage of the total indicate most of his success comes from intermediate routes like shallow posts, flags, and deeper crossers. Harty's YAC percentage was actually lower than Beasley's in 2021.