Denver Broncos defensive end Shelby Harris is having a career year at just the right time. Harris (6-2, 290 pounds) is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2020 and his 2019 stats will partially determine how much he earns on his next contract.
Harris has totaled 36 tackles through 10 games, which is three tackles shy of a career high. After notching three sacks on Sunday, Harris now has four sacks on the year, just 1.5 sacks shy of his career high of 5.5 sacks.
Harris has benefited from an in-season position switch. He started the year as a nose tackle but was moved to defensive end in Week 5. Harris is better suited to play as an end and he’s taking advantage of the switch.
“He’s just playing good,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said of Harris on Nov. 18. “I think he’s feeling more comfortable playing within the defense. He had some good opportunities [Sunday] with the way the plays played out.
“He had the nice caused fumble on the one sack where he came from the blindside. He’s just been playing better. If you keep playing good, the opportunities come.”
Harris will earn $3.095 million this year before free agency in 2020.
