Are we Sleeping on Deonte Harty’s Potential Impact?

After the flurry of free agency and the draft, it’s time to take stock of the Bills’ roster. With over 80 players on the depth chart, there are a few names that deserve attention. One of these players is Deonte Harty, who had a disappointing season last year due to a toe injury but has the potential to be a sleeper player this year.

Deonte Harty signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He had an exceptional performance in the preseason, including a 78-yard punt return touchdown which earned him a spot on the team as a Special Teamer, and he eventually became a key player in Sean Payton’s playbook, much like Taysom Hill. During his four years with the Saints, Harty scored only one return touchdown, but he had an impressive average of 25.7 yards per kickoff return in 69 attempts over the first three years, ranking 8th in the league, and gained a total of 1770 yards in kickoff return, ranking 3rd in the league. He also gained 744 total yards in punt returns, which was the fourth-best mark during that period. His rookies numbers were enough to make him a first-team Pro Bowl and All Pro player.

In the offense, Harty shined in the 2021 season, amassing 570 yards of 37 receptions, with three touchdowns, 246 yards after catch (YAC), 6.8 YAC per reception (7th in the league), and 2.69 yards per route running (5th in the league). However, what will he bring to Buffalo? Let’s take a look.

To understand what makes Deonte Harty special, we need to ask ourselves a fundamental question: What sets him apart from other players? The answer is simple, speed. Harty’s RAS (Relative Athletic Score) shows impressive marks, including 1.51 seconds in the 10-yard dash, 2.5 seconds in the 20-yard dash, and 4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash. While Khalil Shakir is the only player on the roster who matches Harty’s speed, Harty demonstrates superior acceleration and skills in drills such as shuttle and 3-cone. Harty brings a unique blend of quickness and explosiveness in short distances, filling a void in the receiving corps that other players cannot.

So, how could the Bills utilize Harty? First, let’s look at his potential impact on special teams. We just discussed his numbers early, so he’ll be competing against Khalil Shakir as a kick/punt returner, due to Nyheim Hines getting injured before the start of training camp. Regardless of which position he ends up playing, he provides much-needed depth to a room that has struggled with versatility over the years.

The second aspect to consider is his potential impact on offense. Like a Swiss Army knife, Sean Payton utilized Harty in a variety of roles, including lining up as a runner in 21 personnel or 22 formations, as well as a receiver in both the slot and outside positions. As a receiver, he has a unique ability to stretch the field vertically, as evidenced by his two 50+ yard touchdowns against the Commanders and Packers. However, he also brings value in the middle zone, particularly in the 10-20 yard range, where he consistently provided Brees, Winston, and Siemian with a reliable target to move the ball up the field. Adding Harty to the Bills’ receiving corps could provide a boost in both the short and deep passing game.

In the short area, Harty uses a combination of quick breaks and speed to gain more yards than expected. In 2021, he excelled in screen passes, hitches, slants, and dig routes, gaining more yards than almost any other skill player on the Bills roster last year, trailing only Stefon Diggs and Devin Singletary (now in Houston). What’s more impressive is that he had a higher yards-per-route-run than anyone else on the team. For the last one, as a runner, Payton has utilized him in Jet Sweep plays, much like how Brian Daboll or Ken Dorsey used Isaiah McKenzie in the Bills offense.

In conclusion, Deonte Harty brings the speed, quickness, and YAC that the Bills lacked last season. While he can certainly be utilized as a slot receiver in a 3×1 or 2×2 spread formations, there’s more to his game than that. He can also line up behind or next to Diggs, Davis, or Kincaid in bunch or stack formations to create mismatches, exploit spaces or one-on-one duels and provide a boost in the verticality of the pass game. Overall, Harty’s versatility and explosiveness make him a valuable addition to both the offense and special teams.