Saints Roster: Realistic expectations for Deonte Harty in 2022
Deonte Harty is entering his fourth season on the New Orleans Saints roster. What should fans expect from the undrafted wonder as he enters year four?
No one really thought much of it when the New Orleans Saints signed Deonte Harty as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft. The Assumption product immediately exploded onto the scene, making a Pro Bowl and being named All-Pro as a rookie for his work on special teams.
During that 2019 campaign, Harty tallied 338 yards and a touchdown on 36 punt returns and had 644 yards on 24 kick returns. His numbers have gone down each year but make no mistake — Harty has still been a lethal weapon.
This past year saw Harty make a big impact as a wide receiver, finishing the year with the second-most receiving yards on the team with 570 yards and finding the end zone three times. He stepped up in a different role when the Saints needed him to.
Saints Roster: Deonte Harty is entering a critical season in 2022
There has been some contract drama between Harty and the Saints, as the Assumption product wants a long-term deal and hasn’t been shy about it. A legitimate weapon on special teams and a solid fill-in receiver should be able to make decent money in free agency next offseason so the Saints should do what they can to keep him in the black and gold.
As for what to expect from Harty this year, with NOLA getting Michael Thomas back and adding Chris Olave and Jarvis Landry, Harty can revert back to being more of a special teams contributor. He’s proven that he’s one of the best in the league as a return specialist and that’s where the Saints hope to see him shine the brightest this year.
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This could be the final year of watching Deonte Harty in a Saints uniform but hopefully, the two sides can agree on a deal and he can remain in the Big Easy moving forward.