(Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports)
Good things happen to good people that work hard at their craft from practice to games. That can be applied to Broncos cornerback Chris Harris. He is a guy that always seeks to be as good as Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson.
The average football fan may not know the impact Harris has in a game, but the Broncos know how valuable he is. He has had three interceptions and 45 tackles this season. He has been consistent in putting numbers like this since he was the cornerback in 2011.
The Broncos understood he did enough to earn his extension, and they finally gave it to him yesterday afternoon after a prolong negotiations with his agent and the organization. The Broncos cornerback agreed to a 5-year, $42.5 million extension with the Broncos.
For Harris, it was a relief. He has been waiting for this to be over with after months of negotiations. This was weighing on his mind for awhile, and it could have been a distraction for him the more his agent and the Broncos did not agree on a deal.
Harris wants to be a Bronco for a long time. He did not want to move on and uproot. He wanted appreciation by the Broncos for how he has evolved as a player.
The Broncos certainly appreciate him to give him that extension and finding a way to get it done. To make him a priority, it shows how Broncos value him. They know cornerbacks of his caliber are hard to find, and they did not want to lose a valuable one. They also know defense is important for them to put a priority on signing him over Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas.
This extension is not a typical news cycle on a Friday. It was a symbol of how far Harris has come as an undrafted free agent that was the No. 4 cornerback and a special teams player in 2011.
Harris is not going to be a guy that makes interceptions, but he is a guy that knows how to tackle and he is a guy that knows how to break up passes with his size and speed. He has a good eye of where the ball is going when the quarterback throws it.
Per Pro Football Focus, the Broncos cornerback has held opposing quarterbacks to a 46.9 passer rating on throws in his direction. He ranks up there with Vontae Davis and Sherman among the league leaders. He hasn’t surrendered more than 50 yards receiving or a single touchdown in the last calendar year.
This is a reflection of Harris studying film of his work and other receivers and applying it on gamedays. This is a reflection of him asking questions to coaches on how to improve his game, and he has applied the lessons that he was taught in live action.
He is steady and consistent. The best thing about him is he can be even better. He can still improve on getting interceptions with experience.
Don’t expect Harris to be complacent. That’s not in him. He is determined to be better than Sherman, Revis and Peterson.
Being that he is 25 years old, the best is yet to come. He is still learning the game. He can be better than he has showed, especially when it comes to interceptions. He knows that, too. That’s why he will never be complacent. He knows he can be better than he has showed. That’s a compliment to how he approaches his job. There’s no reason to think he can.
Harris is easy to root for. He does not talk to show how relevant he is unlike Sherman, Revis and Peterson. He lets his play speak for it. His teammates, his coaches and the Broncos fans speak for him on how good he is as a cornerback.
The Broncos cornerback is not interested in fanfare. He is the type of player that comes in to do his work and go home. He does not engage in stupidity. Don’t expect him to act like Sherman by being insecure.
Harris’ play and character should make this a happy moment for him and the Broncos.
As for the Broncos, this extension should reflect how their coaches develop players. They have received criticism for relying on free agents and not developing players. For Harris to do well under their watch, it should be rewarding. That’s why Elway wanted to get this deal done to send a message they know how to develop players.
It was hard to believe Harris was leaving. He was meant to be a Bronco. He wanted to stay. The Broncos wanted to keep him. It’s a good marriage that will continue to flourish.
Harris can now concentrate to do bigger and better things. He has more to accomplish. What he wants to accomplish is being the difference maker in the playoffs.
He would love to be the Super Bowl MVP this season. It would be a good story for a guy that no one thought would make the roster in 2011.
Harris’ story does not end now that he signed his extension.
He has many more chapters to go for him to write a book about his story.
Contact or Follow Leslie Monteiro: @LightRodWriter
Related Posts From Lightning Rod Sports
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
