Deonte Harty cashed out as a free agent.
The former New Orleans Saints wide receiver and return specialist is expected to sign with the Buffalo Bills. And according to an NFL report, Harty has agreed to terms on a two-year, $13.5 million max deal. He’ll get a $9.5 million base and $5 million guaranteed.
The 2023 season will mark Harty’s fifth in the NFL, first with a team other than the Saints.
Last year, Harty played in four of the opening five games before suffering turf toe, landing on injured reserve and missing the remainder of the schedule. In that limited time, offensively, Harty caught two receptions on two targets for 13 yards. On special teams, he returned three punts for eight yards and six kicks for 137 yards. His longest returns of 12 yards on punt coverage and 33 yards on kickoff coverage were the shortest season longs of his career.
Harty’s most productive season on offense came in 2021 when he caught 36 receptions on 59 targets for 570 yards and three touchdowns. He mainly did damage with his speed on special teams.
In his first three years, Harty averaged 248 yards on punt returns and 590 yards on kick returns. His career longs are a 53-yard punt return in 2019 and a 75-yard kick return in 2020. He has only returned one punt for a touchdown, in 2019.
Harty was an undrafted free agent out of Assumption in Worcester, Massachusetts. As a rookie, his 36 punt returns for 338 yards topped the league boards. Harty was selected to the Pro Bowl and honored as an Associated Press All-Pro first-teamer that year.
Harty is 25 years old.
Leave a Reply