KUSA – The Broncos have notified the agent of defensive lineman Shelby Harris they are going to tender the restricted free agent with a second-round, $3.095 million salary for 2019.
“I’m happy. It solidifies I’ll be a Bronco for at least another year,’’ Harris said Sunday. “Obviously, you’d like to have long-term security and there’s mutual interest on both sides to do that.
“But for now, a guy who was out of football for a year, I’ll take what I can get. It’s a little financial boost for my family.’’
Harris, 28, is the definition of a late-bloomer. Selected in the 7th round out of Illinois State in 2014 by a previous Oakland Raiders regime, Harris played sparingly for two years, then was cut by the Jets in training camp of 2016.
He stayed unemployed until he joined the Cowboys’ practice squad for the final three weeks of 2016, then signed a futures contract with the Broncos in January 2017.
He became a “futures” success story as he made the Broncos' season-opening roster, blocked a Chargers’ field goal attempt to win the 2017 opener, intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass in the end zone to win another game in 2018, and had 7.0 sacks combined as an interior defensive lineman the past two years.
Harris backed up Domata Peko at nose guard and played both defensive end positions for the Broncos the past two years.
The second-round tender is a mixed transaction for a player. An original-round tender would have come with a lower, $2.025 million salary but as teams only would have had to compensate the Broncos with a seventh-round pick, he likely would have had several multiyear offers from teams trying to sign him away.
A second-round tender -- meaning teams would have to compensate the Broncos with a second-round draft pick to sign him away – figures to draw no competitive offers from other teams. But that also states how much the Broncos like Harris and to show it, they are willing to give him a 439 percent raise on the $705,000 salary he made last year.
The Broncos have worked out multiyear contract extensions with some of their restricted free agents in recent years, most notably linebacker Brandon Marshall and kicker Brandon McManus.
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