The offers have started.
Earlier this offseason, Broncos general manager John Elway said the team wouldn’t address any potential contract extensions until after the NFL draft. With the draft in the rearview mirror, Elway is keeping his word.
Elway has exchanged contract offers with Fred Lyles — the agent for cornerback Chris Harris — according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Although Klis noted “there’s a ways to go,” this is a very positive sign.
Harris has been skipping the team’s offseason program in protest of his contract situation and the fact that the two sides are talking is a positive development. Denver appears to want to keep Harris beyond the 2019 season and he wants to remain with the team, but both sides may have to compromise on terms.
Lyles has made it known through multiple media outlets that he wants his client to earn more than $15 million per year, which would make him the league’s highest-paid cornerback. The Broncos won’t want to pay him that much, hence the negotiating going back and forth.
Harris, 29, is set to become a free agent in 2020 and his current deal averaged $8.5 million per season. His next contract will average much more than that, it just might not be $15 million per year. Broncos Wire will post any updates on the situation in the coming days.
