The Denver Broncos have agreed to give cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. a pay raise for the 2019 season, bumping his salary from $8.9 million to $12.05 million. The news was first reported by KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Harris is still scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2020.
Harris (5-10, 199 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas with the Broncos in 2011. He quickly emerged as one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL and was a key member of the team’s Super Bowl-winning squad in 2015.
Harris is entering the final season of what was originally a five-year, $42.5 million contract. Before receiving a pay raise, Harris’ contract paid him an average of $8.5 million per year, well below the market value for one of the best CBs in the league.
After general manager John Elway said during a pre-draft press conference that the team would talk about an extension, not necessarily give one, Harris asked to be paid at least $15 million a year or to be traded to a team that would pay him.
Denver had no intention of making Harris the league’s highest-paid cornerback, making a trade appear inevitable. Fortunately, the two sides were able to find a middle ground in negotiations. Harris is happy to have received an increase in salary and the Broncos are happy he won’t skip the 2019 season.
Because the cornerback did not receive an extension, Harris may be set to play his final season in Denver.
The Broncos now have nine cornerbacks on the 90-man offseason roster: Harris (30), Kareem Jackson (31), Bryce Callahan (27), Isaac Yiadom (23), De’Vante Bausby (26), Trey Johnson (24), Alijah Holder (23), Horace Richardson (25) and Linden Stephens (24).
Harris has earned four Pro Bowl selections in his career and he is the only player in the league with multiple interceptions in each of the last seven seasons. Harris has totaled 462 tackles and 19 interceptions over the last eight years.
