Shelby Harris is staying with the Denver Broncos.
The defensive lineman agreed to terms with the team on a 3-year, $27 million deal on Monday.
This is a great move for the team, and hopefully the first of many smart re-signings by new general manager George Paton. The Broncos’ plan was to take care of their own free agents before diving into the other possible players.
Harris will continue to bring high energy and pass rush/run-stopping abilities to the Broncos’ defensive line.
Harris has recorded 15.5 sacks, 154 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and 33 quarterback hits as a member of the Broncos. He has often gotten double-teamed because of his high motor and abilities to chase after quarterbacks.
The move to re-sign Harris for three years is smart. Unless he gets hurt, they have a solid, reliable starter on the defensive line.
Perhaps the greatest thing that Harris provides for the Broncos is his ability to bat passes down. In 2019, he recorded nine batted passes, while in 2020, he recorded seven. Not only that; Harris has tipped several field goal kicks in his time.
Harris was a player that was cut/waived by the Raiders several times over the course of two years. He finally left the Raiders for good, spending time with the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys before signing with the Broncos in January of 2017.
I recently called Harris a tier 2 free agent by the Broncos, simply because Justin Simmons can be considered to be in a league of his own, but Harris could easily be considered tier 1.
Congratulations to Harris on a well-deserved contract.
Broncos: Free agent RBs to consider if Phillip Lindsay is let go
The Denver Broncos have been non-committal on running back Phillip Lindsay. Here are some free agent running backs they could consider if he's out.
Now, the Broncos will shift their focus to Justin Simmons, as well as their restricted free agents in Phillip Lindsay, Tim Patrick, and Alexander Johnson. The hope is that Simmons will get a long-term deal done, and the team is going to tender their RFAs.