After Denver Broncos general manager John Elway made noncommittal remarks about the future of Chris Harris during a pre-draft press conference, the cornerback gave the team an ultimatum: pay him or trade him.
Multiple media outlets have reported that Harris is seeking more than $15 million per year, which would make him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. Harris currently earns an average $8.5 million per season.
Denver has no intentions of making Harris the league’s highest-paid cornerback, so a trade may be inevitable. Multiple teams have already expressed interest in the four-time Pro Bowler.
“Even I have been surprised at the market that the Broncos have for Chris Harris,” league insider Ian Rapoport said on NFL Network before the first round of the NFL draft. “There is real interest and enough interest that this actually could get done . . . . we could see him sent away for a couple draft picks.”
Broncos general manager John Elway implied on Thursday evening that though teams were calling, no legitimate offers had been made yet.
“No, there was no traction today,” Elway said. “We haven’t heard a lot. We talked to a couple people, but there’s been no traction.”
Contradicting Rapoport’s reporting, KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis tweeted Friday that there has been “little to no trade interest for Chris Harris.” Klis seems to believe that if a trade does not happen Friday, Harris may not be traded out all. Elway has said multiple times this offseason that contract extensions — for any players — would happen after the draft.
Denver could keep Harris on the roster this season and let him walk in free agency in 2020, which would likely net the team a third-round compensatory selection in 2021. Because that is among the team’s options, the Broncos probably wouldn’t accept anything less than a third-round pick in a trade.
The second and third rounds of the draft will take place on Friday evening, followed by rounds 4-7 on Saturday. The Harris situation is worth monitoring as the weekend approaches — Broncos Wire will provide updates on the CB’s trade status throughout the draft.
