Denver Broncos defensive back Chris Harris is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and arguably the best slot cornerback in the league. So paying him an average of $8.5 million per season is a bargain compared to the contracts of other big-name cornerbacks.
Harris is set to earn a base salary of $7.8 million in 2019 before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2020. It’s probably about time to give him a contract extension, right?
“That has not been thought about just yet,” general manager John Elway said at the NFL combine on Wednesday. “We’ll see where things go. We’re going to get through this first wave and see what we can do in free agency. Then after that, we’ll look at different options. But that has not been thought of yet.”
Just because Elway says the team hasn’t considered an extension yet doesn’t mean the team won’t give Harris one. Because the cornerback is still locked up for one more year, Elway has more pressing needs to attend to first.
After the free agency buzz dies down, though, the topic of Harris’ contract status should be revisited. There are 20 cornerbacks that earn an average salary greater than $8.5 million a year, so there’s no denying that Harris’ current contract is a team-friendly deal.
Harris, 29, has recorded 462 tackles and 19 interceptions since joining the team as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas in 2011. The cornerback has earned a little more than $39 million over the last eight seasons, earning four Pro Bowl selections.
