Shelby Harris, defensive line
Contract details: 1 year, $3.095 million
Somehow, the Denver Broncos managed to bring back Shelby Harris on a one-year deal that will pay him less than restricted free agent Mike Purcell.
Harris had six sacks and 10 batted passes in the 2019 season, and everyone thought he would be out of Denver with an eight-figure contract somewhere else. Heading into his age-29 season, everyone in Denver or nationally felt like this was Harris’ big shot at a big contract, and it didn’t happen.
The Indianapolis Colts were supposedly the most interested in Harris, but they traded their first-round pick for DeForest Buckner instead.
When Harris’ market dried up completely, he returned to Denver on a one-year deal worth nothing close to what he or anyone else thought he would get. Anything under $9-10 million per season would have been seen as a bargain for Harris, but just over $3 million?
That is highway robbery for a player like Harris, who can play the run, rush the passer, and disrupt passing lanes from the defensive end position.
Pairing him with Jurrell Casey as the team’s top two defensive linemen is also very exciting. Overall, this might be the best value the Broncos got in all of free agency thus far.