Though Chris Harris is no longer a member of the Denver Broncos, fans will always be able to look back fondly on the impact he made on the franchise.
Chris Harris spent nine seasons in Denver and made four Pro Bowls while helping the team reach two Super Bowls, winning one of them. During that time, he has been considered one of the best cornerbacks in all of football.
On Wednesday, Harris agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Chargers, staying in the AFC West division where he will make an annual trip back to the Mile High City.
Now that his career with the Broncos is over, we can reflect back on his nine seasons with the team and determine where that ranks among the best cornerbacks the Broncos have ever had.
Harris was the key cog in the “No Fly Zone” that made the Broncos’ defense so tough to deal with over the years and he was always a force in the secondary, generally responsible for locking up the opposition’s No.1 wide receiver.
During his tenure in Denver, Harris had 20 interceptions and 90 pass deflections. He was never afraid to lend a hand in the tackling department either, registering 518 of those and he even had 4.5 sacks.
But it was what he did that doesn’t show up in the box score that made the most impact, which was containing numerous top-flight wide receivers.
It’s tough to see him go, but it’s hardly a surprise. Harris tweeted out his goodbye to the team and so now, we look at his place in history among the team’s greatest corners.
Aqib Talib
The Broncos definitely got the most out of Talib, who has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league since being drafted in the first round of the 2008 draft.
He was solid with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, helped the New England Patriots contend for titles, but he reached his peak in Denver, where he spent five seasons.
Talib was in the same secondary as Harris during his time with the team and was often considered the team’s No.1 cornerback. His play on the field reflected that as well.
In four seasons with the Broncos, Talib collected 11 interceptions. Incredibly, he returned six of those for touchdowns. That was on top of being a shutdown, in-your-face corner (ask Michael Crabtree) who really didn’t have a weakness.
He was a key contributor to the team’s Super Bowl 50 win in 2015. The Broncos traded him to the Los Angeles Rams following the 2017 season, but Talib’s time with the team should be looked at fondly. At least according to this list, he became the team’s No. 5 all-time cornerback in just four seasons.
Each of those four seasons was good. He certainly took a step back in 2017, but still made the Pro Bowl. In fact, he made the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons with the team. From 2016-18, he was talked about among the best cornerbacks in all of football.
Billy Thompson
Many fans would probably like to see the inclusion of a player such as Tyrone Braxton or Ray Crockett on this list, but Thompson’s accolades far outweigh those of Crockett and Braxton spent much of his career at safety.
Thompson played for 13 seasons, all of which in Denver. A third-round pick in 1969, Thompson finished his career with 40 interceptions. Only two players in the history of the team have more (Goose Gonsoulin, Steve Foley).
If you look around, many lists of the team’s best cornerbacks ever will include the likes of Crockett and Braxton with Thompson being omitted, but that could be because many people never saw him play. He retired following the 1981 season, so it’s been nearly 40 years since he played.
But when he did play, he was great. He made the Pro Bowl following his final season in 1981 and was a member of Pro Bowl rosters following the 1977 and 1978 seasons.
He also holds the NFL record for most fumble returns for a touchdown with four, but it was his coverage ability that made him a star and earned him a place on the team’s Ring of Fame.
Thompson is absolutely one of the best cornerbacks in team history.
Chris Harris
This is where Harris falls and though it would be nice to slide him up higher on the list, it’s difficult to put him any higher due to the two names yet to come.
Harris, as stated earlier, was fantastic for the team, particularly when you consider that he was an undrafted player coming out of Kansas. The Broncos have a good history with undrafted players and while Rod Smith may be the best undrafted player in team history, Harris is awfully close.
He had 20 interceptions with the team and he was always there to make a play when an opposing quarterback came at him. He did have his struggles in 2019, his final season with the team, but there should still be plenty of tread on his tires.
Harris will turn 31 years old in June, so the Broncos most likely got the best years out of him. But those nine seasons were great.
In addition to always playing at a high level, Harris was incredibly durable. In his nine years with the team, he missed a total of five games.
Without Harris, the Broncos likely would have experienced far less overall success than they did with him. Next to Von Miller, he was often the next-best defensive player on the roster.
It’s hard to see Harris join a division rival and have the chance to stick it to the Broncos in the future, but he should be remembered for being one of the best, most consistent players in the history of the franchise.
Louis Wright
To think that Louis Wright and Thompson played in the same secondary is pretty incredible.
Wright finished his career with 26 interceptions, running one back for a score. He also had 11 fumble recoveries, two of which he returned for a touchdown. He went to the Pro Bowl five times and was named a First-Team All-Pro four times.
On top of that, he was named to the All-Decade Team of the 1970s.
Wright’s statistics might be gaudier had it not been for one minor detail: Teams flat out avoided throwing at him. The term “shutdown corner” is used often in today’s NFL but literally, one of the first cornerbacks that term was ever applied to was Wright.
He just erased one side of the field on a regular basis. In addition, he was tremendous in run support, a trait that was extremely important to be one of the best cornerbacks in that era. And Wright absolutely was that, drawing comparisons to two of the greatest corners in history in Mel Blount and Mike Haynes, two guys who also played in those days.
It’s a crying shame that Wright has never been included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Those who know and have studied the game of football know that he is more than deserving.
As a tribute to his outstanding career in Denver, which lasted 12 seasons, Wright was selected as a member of the team’s Ring of Fame in 1993.
Champ Bailey
This should come as no surprise. Champ Bailey is the best cornerback in team history and he is that by a fairly wide margin.
Bailey was recently elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot entry and that was no surprise either. Champ was that good.
The Broncos obtained Bailey in a trade with the Washington Redskins. The Broncos also received a second-round pick in that deal while sending Clinton Portis to Washington.
Looking back on it with the benefit of hindsight being 20/20, the fact that the Broncos got Bailey AND a second-round pick for Portis is incredible. Sure, Portis had been a solid running back, but the Broncos received one of the best cornerbacks in the history of the league.
If you were to grade this trade now, the Broncos received the better end of it by a country mile.
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In 10 seasons with the Broncos, Bailey was all that the team ever hoped he would be. Much like Wright, opposing quarterbacks just did not look his way. Still, Bailey finished his career with 52 interceptions. He also had an eye-popping 203 pass deflections.
In Denver, he was selected to eight Pro Bowls and he was named First-Team All-Pro in three consecutive seasons from 2004-06.
Champ was a complete cornerback, always ready and able to make a tackle. That was what separated him from many of the league’s top cornerbacks. He would put his helmet down and lay into a ball carrier. He finished his career with 908 tackles.
Champ had a rare combination of supreme athleticism, football smarts and desire to be the best. They just don’t make them like this guy very often.