Brady Quinn doesn’t see logic in Broncos giving CB Chris Harris big raise

It’s hard to figure out exactly what the Denver Broncos were looking to accomplish by adjusting the contract of cornerback Chris Harris that bumps his 2019 salary from $8.7 million to $12.05 million.

The deal is due to expire after the 2019 season, and was an apparent compromise to the inability of the sides to work out a long-term agreement that Harris had hoped to get for a reported $15 million per year.

‘You’re either going all in, one year, trying to make it all work, or you’re trying to build for the future’

Are the Broncos, who have a new head coach in Vic Fangio and still seemingly finding their way on offense, in a position to believe that paying what was necessary to keep Harris around for at least another season to make a Super Bowl run? Are they looking to the future? Brady Quinn doesn’t see either scenario as providing a logical explanation for what they did with the cornerback’s contract.

Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris. (SiriusXM NFL Radio Photo)

“You’re either investing into going all in this year to win a Super Bowl, and I hate to say this to Broncos fans, I don’t know if they’re in a position to necessarily do that this year,” Quinn said while co-hosting with Bruce Murray on the SiriusXM Blitz. “I could be wrong. But you’re either going all in, one year, trying to make it all work, or you’re trying to build for the future. And I don’t know that this really accomplishes either of those, unless they’ve now agreed to this one-year deal for this year, and they’ve satisfied Chris Harris to at least show up. And now you could potentially trade him before the trade deadline and get something in return.”

‘I’m not really sure what this solves outside of maybe getting him to show up to play this year’

Otherwise, the Broncos, in agreeing not to place a franchise tag on Harris after the 2019 season, face the real possibility of simply having him around for one more year at a much higher salary, then searching for his replacement.

“If I’m Chris Harris, I get it,” Quinn said. “The team gave you a little extra money, but they’ve already agreed not to franchise tag you. ‘I’m out of here after this year. I’m going into the free-agent market. I’m going to find someone who can pay me what I feel like my market value is, contender or not.’ And, all of a sudden the Broncos aren’t a part of that equation. So I’m not really sure what this solves outside of maybe getting him to show up to play this year, as opposed to running the risk of him just saying, ‘I’m going to sit out. I’m not going to come in. You can fine me all you want, but I’m going sit out and you can go ahead and franchise tag me. But I’m going to go the route that Le’Veon Bell went (before leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers). And you can do whatever you want, but I’m not going to show up and come into play until I’m able to become a free agent or I go to a team that’s going to negotiate a longer-term contract.'”