The icy relationship between Chris Harris Jr. and the Broncos is thawing
Oct 30, 2019, 2:08 PM
The Broncos seemingly got all the way to the courthouse steps before deciding not to file the divorce papers. So for now, the team and the cornerback are still together, at least for eight more games.
On Wednesday, both sides talked about the fact that they didn’t part ways. And both seemed happy that it turned out that way.
“I’m happy to be able to finish the year here; that was the goal,” Harris said on Wednesday when he met the media.
His head coach agreed.
“I like Chris; Chris is a good player,” Vic Fangio told the assembled press. “I think he fits here and I’m glad we still have him.”
So, it seems as though the rest of the 2019 season will be amicable. But what about beyond that? Are the Broncos going to try to retain the veteran cornerback during the offseason when he becomes a free agent? And will Harris be open to the idea of staying in Denver?
Neither the team or the player would make a commitment on Wednesday, but the ice has thawed a bit. Just a bit.
“I’ll wait until the end of the year to make my decision about what I want to do with my future,” Harris added on Wednesday, suggesting that his mind isn’t made up about leaving the Mile High City.
And his coach seemed open to the idea of having him back.
“He’s a versatile player. He can play corner or nickel. He can cover,” Fangio said about Harris. “He’s what you want in a DB.”
Those comments, as well as recent ones made by general manager John Elway, made the veteran cornerback happy.
“It’s a lot better than what I’ve heard in the past,” Harris joked, referring to the rhetoric surrounding offseason negotiations on a new contract. “To know they want me to be here, that’s big for me. As a player, you always want to feel appreciated. You want to feel that the work you put in on the field is noted.”
Is all forgiven between the Broncos and Chris Harris Jr.? Are they ready to live happily ever after together?
That’d be a stretch. But for now, each side is extending an olive branch. And that’s a great place to start.
