Last week, KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis and The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala both reported that the Denver Broncos’ contract discussions with cornerback Chris Harris Jr. were centered around a short-term deal.
Just how short is short-term?
There’s a possibility that Denver could give Harris a pay raise for the 2019 season and allow him to become a free agent in 2020, opting not to add any additional years to his contract.
Harris has been holding out from the team’s offseason program in protest of his contract situation. The team gave defensive back Kareem Jackson a three-year deal that averages $11 million per season earlier this year, which may not have sat well with Harris.
As Jhabvala noted, Harris is slated to earn $8.8 million this year. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler and Jackson has yet to receive an all-star nod so it makes sense that Harris would want to be the team’s highest-paid defensive back.
It might not seem logical for Denver to give Harris a raise and with no additional years on his contract, but the cornerback could extend his holdout into the regular season if the Broncos don’t increase his salary.
Harris also signed a team-friendly contract the last time he negotiated with Denver. Giving him a one-year pay raise and then allowing him to hit free agency might be the Broncos’ way of thanking Harris for his goodwill.
Most fans in Denver would probably like to see Harris receive a multi-year extension. That still may be a possibility but at the moment, it appears that the two sides are discussing a deal that could be as short as one year.
