Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris let the team know Tuesday that he wants to be paid $15 million per year or be traded. The Broncos aren’t going to pay him that much so a trade seems inevitable.
Or does it?
Harris has not ruled out the possibility of remaining with Denver this season — perhaps the two sides can find a middle ground in negotiations?
“I’m still open to coming back,” Harris told The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala on Tuesday. “I’m never closing that door until they close it.”
Asked by Jhabvala if he would sit out the season if the Broncos do not give him a new contract or trade him, Harris said that “it shouldn’t get to that point.”
Harris also took to Twitter on Wednesday to clear up reports about his health. It’s been frequently said over the last 24 hours that Harris is “coming off a broken leg,” but that leaves out the fact that Harris recovered from his injury in time for the Pro Bowl earlier this year.
Denver will listen to trade offers for Harris but the team won’t give him away for less than his value. The cornerback’s salary demand may have just been the starting point of negotiations — there’s still a chance that the two sides could work out a compromise and reach an extension.
The fact that Harris hasn’t ruled out remaining with the team appears to be a good sign that a deal could still be worked out.
