What it would take to keep Chris Harris Jr.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — At the conclusion of the 2019 season, Chris Harris Jr. slowly packed up all of his various belongings in his locker, said his goodbyes to his teammates and the media, and made it crystal clear what he’s looking for at his next stop.

However, Harris, who has only donned one team’s jersey in the NFL, wanted it to be known that his next stop might be right back where he’s been his entire career.

The always proud cornerback said he would “love” to be back with the Broncos and ideally wants to stay in Denver, which he calls he and his family’s home.

But after not being able to reach a contract extension with John Elway and the Broncos, the nine-year vet is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career in March.

“I have a lot left. I feel great,” the 30-year old said after the season.

With Denver not in a position to lose a player of Chris’ caliber at cornerback, here are the three components the Pro Bowl corner will be looking for in free agency, whether it be from the Broncos or someone else.

MONEY MONEY MONEY

There’s no question Harris Jr. is looking to be paid. Not too long after signing his five-year, $42.5 million extension in 2014, Chris made it known he wasn’t looking to take a home-town discount a second contract in a row.

In fact, Chris was so unhappy about that deal, he decided not to show up for the Broncos’ offseason condition program until Elway tacked on an additional $3 million to his already $9 million salary.

At the same time, it was believed Chris was looking for $15 million per year in a new contract.

According to Harris Jr., the Broncos offered him a three-year, $36 million contract before the trade deadline, which he turned down. Elway didn’t deny this, instead just saying the team will have to see where the money will be allocated in the offseason.

“Of course [you] play better when you know the team really loves you, and they want you there,” Harris Jr. said, stating he wants money to do the talking for how much a team loves him. “Of course, my next situation will have that, and I will know the team loves me and I’ll be all in trying to figure out what we can do.”

Money talks. And Chris wants the money to tell him he’s beyond loved in his next contract.

SLOT MACHINE

The undrafted cornerback made it known, especially near the end of the season, that he took one for the team time and time again in 2019.

“I was able to play all season, every game and also do a lot more running than I’ve done in the past—chasing the guy around all game, chasing the best player all-around all game, teams doing no-huddle, being able to stay conditioned through the whole season with that. It’s a lot tougher than anything I’ve ever done. Trust me,” Harris Jr. said of his role in 2019. “Chasing the best player around all year and not getting too many breaks.”

For the first time in his career, No. 25 was primarily an outside cornerback, often shadowing team’s opposing No. 1 receivers.

“This is my first season not playing the slot. That’s where I know I’m the best in the league,” the always-confident cornerback stated. “I’d definitely love to play both [slot and outside]. When I’m just playing outside you only see one aspect of my game. Next year being able to do both is kind of getting back to normal.”

Being able to play outside and slot won’t just be normal for Chris, it will “definitely” be important in his decision on where to sign.

Fortunately for the Broncos, playing the slot in Denver is a “big possibility.”

“Coach Fangio, they love me in the slot here,” Chris said. “They know what I can do here, but unfortunately, we didn’t have the resources for me to play there this year. I’d go crazy in the slot in this system because they allowed me to do everything.  A lot of the defenses he didn’t call because I wasn’t in there so he couldn’t really call his whole system.”

This leads perfectly into the final piece Chris is looking for.

A SURROUNDING CAST

The 5-foot-10 cornerback believes the Ravens will easily make the Super Bowl. And not because of the soon-to-be MVP Lamar Jackson, but instead because they are deep at cornerback.

Along with having the nearly unstoppable quarterback, the Ravens have a top corner trio in the game. When targeting Marcus Peters, Jimmy Smith and Marlon Humphrey, opposing quarterbacks had a 58 percent completion rate and a passer rating below 68. This isn’t even factoring in star safety Earl Thomas.

“You have to have three good corners to win,” Harris Jr. stated.

Chris knows this first hand, too, as he was one of three “good” cornerbacks in the vaunted ‘No Fly Zone’ that was instrumental in winning Super Bowl 50.

In 2019, however, with Bryce Callahan never stepping on the field due to a foot injury and a rotating second cornerback, the Broncos were far away from a dominant trio.

“We’re getting the right pieces back—definitely need some more pieces around me to just do what I do,” Harris Jr. said with purpose. “That’s one thing I’m looking at in the offseason.”

To appease Chris and allow him to play all over the field, the Broncos will need at least one more cornerback in order to meet this criteria.