Shelby Harris - Pro Football Rumors

Browns To Re-Sign DT Shelby Harris

March 12th, 2024 at 1:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Being on three teams since 2021, Shelby Harris is set to enjoy more continuity in the mid-2020s. The Browns have reached an agreement to keep the veteran defensive tackle.

Harris will stay in Cleveland on a two-year deal worth $9MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The Browns had picked up Harris weeks after his 2023 Seahawks release, and the former Broncos starter will stay in Cleveland to work alongside Dalvin Tomlinson once again.

After adding a few outside pieces at defensive tackle last year, the Browns are spending resources to keeping their own at the position this year. A day after re-signing Maurice Hurst Jr. (and Za’Darius Smith), the Browns will retain Harris, whom they signed midway through training camp last year.

Harris’ most noticeable skill comes in re-routing passes. The veteran D-tackle batted down five passes in 2023 and has two more seasons with at least seven deflections up front. The Browns used the former seventh-round pick as a seven-game starter last year, but Harris was active for all 18 Cleveland contests. He finished with 1.5 sacks and six tackles for loss with the team.

Known more for his interior pass rushing (two six-sack seasons) than his work against the run, Harris rated well in this area last season. Pro Football Focus slotted him just outside the top 20 among interior D-linemen. After being part of a No. 1-ranked Browns pass defense, the 32-year-old defender will be asked to keep going toward his mid-30s.

The Broncos gave Harris a three-year, $27MM deal to stick around in 2021, which marked his fifth season with the team. But the team included the starting D-lineman in the Russell Wilson trade. The Seahawks bailed on the $9MM-per-year contract after one season, however, leading to the Cleveland arrival. Harris has 71 starts on his resume. Harris and Tomlinson helped the Browns go from 25th in run defense in 2022 to 11th in this category last season.

Browns, DT Shelby Harris Agree To Deal

August 9th, 2023 at 5:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

A free agent visit between Shelby Harris and the Browns has yielded an agreement. The veteran defensive tackle is headed to Cleveland on a deal worth up to $5.25MM, reports Jordan Schultz of the Score (Twitter links).

Harris had been on the open market since being released by the Seahawks in March, but it took plenty of time for him to receive tangible interest. He explored the possibility of returning to the Broncos by visiting Denver, but that did not produce a deal. The 31-year-old then met with the Browns, though at that point he was not believed to be acting with much urgency to make a firm commitment.

Now, Harris has a new home for the fourth time in his career. The former seventh-rounder was included in the package Denver sent to Seattle in the Russell Wilson trade last offseason. He remained a full-time starter in the Emerald City, though his production dropped compared to his days with the Broncos. Harris recorded two sacks and eight QB pressures in 2022, after posting six and 18, respectively, the year prior.

Harris should still be able to carve out at least a rotational role in Cleveland, a team which has set about re-tooling its defensive front this offseason. Their most signficant endeavor in that regard was the deal given to Dalvin Tomlinson (four-years, $57MM). The latter will be an anchor of the Browns’ defensive interior for the foreseeable future, and 2020 third-rounder Jordan Elliott graduated to a starting role in 2022. Perrion Winfrey was waived last month, though, leaving a vacancy at the DT spot.

Cleveland invested a third-round pick in this year’s draft to add further depth on the D-line by selecting Siaki Ika. Harris, who has 98 appearances and 64 starts to his name, will no doubt be counted on more than the Baylor product in 2023. As is the case with the Seahawks, the Browns are aiming to take a needed step forward with their defensive front compared to last year. Harris should aid in their ability to progress under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

A return to the Seahawks was thought to be on the table for much of the offseason in Harris’ case. As Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets, however, the signing of Mario Edwards (which in turn came after the addition of Dre’Mont Jones) likely took a Harris deal off the table. Seattle will move forward with its new DT contingent, while Harris will look to put together a strong season in Cleveland ahead of another trip to free agency.

DT Shelby Harris Visits Browns

August 4th, 2023 at 2:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 4: The veteran interior defensive lineman looks to be taking his time on selecting his next team. The Browns did not get the impression Harris was desperate for a deal now, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets. Harris, who has earned more than $26MM during his career, has visited the Browns and Broncos thus far. It is unclear if an offer was extended by either team, but the 64-game starter seems likely to land an opportunity to play a ninth season.

JULY 31: Not long after Shelby Harris made a visit to one of his former teams, he will do so with another potential suitor. The veteran defensive tackle is set to meet with the Browns today, per the Score’s Jordan Schultz (Twitter link).

Harris visited the Broncos last week, signaling that a reunion in Denver could be in the works. Denver lost Eyioma Uwazurike to a gambling suspension, so plenty of playing time would be available for Harris if he were to return to the Mile High City. He could see a signficant role in Cleveland as well, however.

The Browns entered the offseason needing to upgrade their defensive interior, and their most impactful move on that front was the signing of Dalvin Tomlinson. The former Giants and Vikings starter inked a four-year, $57MM deal to serve as the anchor of new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s D-line. That also unit added depth during the draft with the selection Siaki Ika in the third round.

The Browns moved on from 2022 fourth-rounder Perrion Winfrey earlier this month, however, after learning he is under investigation for what would be a second instance of violence against a woman. Winfrey’s absence opens the door to at least rotational snaps for an addition at the position, and Harris could fit the bill. The soon-to-be 32-year-old has served as a full-time starter across each of the past four seasons.

Part of the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade, Harris took a step back in his debut Seahawks season compared to his final Broncos campaign. After posting six sacks in 2021, the former seventh-rounder recorded only two last season while also seeing his pressure, QB hits and tackle for loss totals drop. Still, he would add plenty of experience to a defensive line set to be led by Tomlinson and 2020 third-rounder Jordan Elliott.

Seattle expressed a willingness to re-sign Harris back in March, but his market has seen little movement since that time. After visiting a pair of AFC teams on the lookout for a depth addition, however, a deal could materialize in the near future.

Broncos Work Out DT Shelby Harris

July 28th, 2023 at 5:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest team to see one of its players hit with a gambling suspension, the Broncos look to be considering a reunion as a result. Shelby Harris worked out for his former team Friday, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic tweets.

On the workout circuit months after his Seahawks release, Harris is obviously quite familiar with Denver. The Broncos featured Harris as a defensive line regular from 2017-21, re-signing him to a three-year, $27MM deal in the process. The team included Harris in 2022’s Russell Wilson trade, however.

Revamping their D-line once again, the Seahawks cut bait on the Broncos-constructed Harris contract in March. The Broncos added Zach Allen to replace Dre’Mont Jones, who ended up replacing Harris in Seattle, but lost one of their 2022 D-line draftees — Eyioma Uwazurike — to an indefinite gambling ban. The former fourth-round pick, obtained with a selection that came back to Denver in the Wilson swap, was found to have bet on NFL games, clouding his future.

Although the Broncos have changed coaching staffs multiple times since Harris last took the field for them, the interior D-lineman has experience with new Denver DC Vance Joseph. The Broncos initially signed Harris during Joseph’s run as head coach. The soon-to-be 32-old DT played for the team throughout the Joseph and Vic Fangio HC tenures.

Harris started 49 games for the Broncos from 2017-21, spending most of the Fangio period as a first-stringer. He became known for pass batdowns while in Denver, deflecting 16 between the 2019 and ’20 seasons, and registered six sacks apiece in 2019 and ’21. With Seattle last year, Harris started all 15 games he played. Pro Football Focus rated Harris as a top-20 inside D-lineman, but while the Seahawks were open to bringing him back, his 2022 production has not led to a known wave of interest.

The Broncos have Allen, D.J. Jones and Mike Purcell up front, with 2022 draftee Matt Henningsen expected to play a key role as well. The team added Tyler Lancaster this offseason, with reserve Jonathan Harris remaining on the team after arriving in 2019.

Seahawks DT Dre’Mont Jones Addresses End Of Broncos Tenure

April 11th, 2023 at 10:44am CST by Adam La Rose

Seattle made one of the most impactful additions of the offseason along the defensive line when they signed Dre’Mont Jones in free agency. That pact marked the end of his time with the Broncos, the only team he had previously played for in the NFL.

During his four-year tenure in the Mile High City, Jones established himself as a valued member of the team’s strong defensive units. From 2020 on, he was a highly consistent factor in their interior pass-rush, notching 6.5, 5.5 and 6.5 sacks over that span. That, coupled with his age (26), made a new contract for him a priority on Denver’s part heading into the offseason.

However, the former third-rounder ended up signing a three-year, $51MM deal with Seattle after it became clear Denver was headed in a different direction. The Broncos saw Jones’ asking price as being too high, which led to the end of extension talks and his change of scenery. He spoke on the matter recently, indicating Seattle was more willing than Denver to make a sizeable financial commitment.

“I mean, they should have just traded me from the jump,” Jones said in reference to the Broncos. “I was included in the [Russell Wilson] trade. Denver said no. And then, Denver kind of… I don’t want to say that word – but Denver didn’t pay me my proper respects” (h/t NFL.com’s Kevin Patra).

The Broncos did indeed prefer to keep Jones out of the package they sent to Seattle for Wilson, instead including veteran Shelby Harris as part of their compensation. Since they weren’t able to agree on a new deal with Jones, however, Denver pivoted to former Cardinal Zach Allen on a three-year pact worth $47.5MM. That figure not only comes marginally short of what Jones signed for, but it has also raised eyebrows around the league.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando notes that many team executives were caught off guard by the AAV of $15.8MM Allen was able to secure on his Broncos pact (subscription required). The 25-year-old posted notable sack totals in only the past two seasons, but is regarded as being strong against the run as well. Still, Denver’s investment in him carries some risk, and will no doubt be compared to the success (or lack thereof) Seattle is able to achieve with Jones now in the middle of their defensive front.

Seahawks Open To Bringing Back Shelby Harris

March 26th, 2023 at 11:20am CST by Rory Parks

The Seahawks released Shelby Harris earlier this month as part of a defensive line purge that also saw the team part ways with Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson. However, the ‘Hawks remain open to a reunion with Harris, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times writes.

Harris, 31, was part of the return in last offseason’s blockbuster trade that sent quarterback Russell Wilson from Seattle to Denver. Prior to the deal, Harris worked as a Broncos regular for five seasons, and while he saw a similar snap rate in 2022 as he did during most of his time in Denver, his surface-level stats took a bit of a dip.

Last season, Harris registered just two sacks — his lowest total since 2018 — and six quarterback hits. That said, Pro Football Focus still viewed the former seventh-round pick as a top interior D-lineman. PFF graded Harris 17th overall among D-tackles in 2022, so it stands to reason that the Seahawks would want him back (albeit at a much lower price than the $9MM he was due to earn this year).

But if a reunion does materialize, Harris may see a reduced role. Since his release, the Seahawks splurged on a big-ticket deal for Dre’Mont Jones (who, coincidentally, the team wanted when negotiating the Wilson trade with the Broncos last year, as Condotta tweets). They also brought back defensive tackle Jarran Reed, whom GM John Schneider says eschewed more lucrative deals elsewhere to return to Seattle after spending 2021 with the Chiefs and 2022 with the Packers (Twitter link via Condotta).

The ‘Hawks still have a need at nose tackle, and while Harris would not fill that role, there is not much DL depth behind Jones and Reed. As such, a new contract could be in the cards if player and team can find some financial common ground.

Seahawks, DT Shelby Harris To Part Ways

March 13th, 2023 at 2:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

A year after being one of the assets the Seahawks acquired in the Russell Wilson trade, Shelby Harris is on track to become a cap casualty. The Seahawks are moving on from the veteran defensive lineman, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

The team is trying to find a trade partner for Harris, per Garafolo, but thus far has not located one. Absent a trade, Harris will be released. The longtime Broncos starter moved into a starting D-tackle role in Seattle last season.

Harris, 31, worked as a Denver regular for five seasons. The 2020 campaign prompted the Broncos to give him a three-year, $27MM deal to stay; the team did so despite hiring a new GM (George Paton) weeks prior to that transaction. Paton valued the John Elway-era find, but the Seahawks sought him in the Wilson trade.

Last season, Harris registered just two sacks — his lowest total since 2018 — and six quarterback hits. That said, Pro Football Focus still viewed the former seventh-round pick as a top interior D-lineman. PFF graded Harris 17th overall among D-tackles in 2022. It should be expected Harris would land another gig fairly soon. Should Dre’Mont Jones leave Denver for a big-ticket free agency accord, Harris returning would make sense. He played under Vance Joseph for two seasons, emerging as a key player and one of the NFL’s top pass-deflecting performers up front.

Seattle is retooling up front. It is not known yet if the team is re-signing Poona Ford. But he is a free agent. Moving on from Harris and Ford would signal an overhaul for the Seahawks inside. Ford started 16 games last season.

Seahawks Restructure Shelby Harris’ Contract

June 9th, 2022 at 12:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks re-worked the contract of one of their newest acquisitions. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the team has agreed to a restructure with defensive linemen Shelby Harris. The move creates $3.26MM in cap space.

ESPN’s Brady Henderson details that, to create that added space, Seattle converted just over $6.5MM of Harris’ 2022 compensation into a bonus (Twitter link). As a result, his cap hit for the upcoming season is $4.78MM. The move also has an effect on the final year of his deal, however. Henderson’s colleague Field Yates tweets that $2MM (out of a base salary of $8.5MM) has also been converted to a roster bonus for 2023. That year, Harris’ cap hit is scheduled to spike to $12.2MM.

The 30-year-old played sparingly with the Raiders, who drafted him in the seventh round in 2014. He found much more success in Denver, however, becoming a full-time starter with the Broncos in 2019. Expressing his desire to finish his career in the Mile High City on multiple occasions, Harris signed a three-year, $27MM deal last March. He continued to play at a high level in 2021, totaling 49 tackles and six sacks. However, his tenure came to an end this offseason when he was included in the package Denver sent to Seattle for Russell Wilson.

As a result of this restructure, the Seahawks now rank in the top 10 in the league in terms of cap space, with just over $17MM available. Long mentioned as a potential landing spot for Baker Mayfield or, to a lesser extent, Jimmy Garoppolo, Seattle also has the matter of a D.K. Metcalf extension to attend to. The latter task may have become more complicated by the wideout’s current unexcused absence from minicamp. In any event, they have some added flexibility to work with for the remainder of the offseason.

Seahawks To Trade Russell Wilson To Broncos

March 8th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

9:57pm: Wilson has signed his no-trade provision and passed his physical, making the deal official on his end, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The other players involved in the trade still have to take their physical.

12:46pm: The Seahawks have agreed to trade Russell Wilson to the Broncos, as NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The deal will see multiple draft picks go to Seattle, plus quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant (Twitter link).

Details are still emerging, but when all is said and done, the deal will see three players (Lock, Harris, and Fant) go to Seattle along with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick. The Broncos, meanwhile, get Wilson plus a Round 4 choice (Twitter link via Jay Glazer of FOX Sports). Even when accounting for Wilson’s talent and accomplishments, it all adds up to a solid haul for the Seahawks.

The Seahawks have been at odds with their star quarterback for quite some time. Now, after years of speculation, they’ve finally turned the page. The Broncos, meanwhile, have a Hall of Fame worthy quarterback for the first time since Peyton Manning‘s retirement.

Previously, head coach Pete Carroll said that the Seahawks had “no intention” of moving Wilson. Ultimately, however, Wilson wanted a new start. The Seahawks also get an opportunity at something of a clean slate. Wilson’s $35MM-per-year contract wasn’t necessarily outsized, but it was a blocker on their books. Now, Carroll & Co. can reshape the team as they see fit — perhaps with a QB with less gripes about the rest of the roster.

“At this time of year, there’s conversations about everybody, and it’s commonplace for us to have conversations with teams about all of the players, particularly marquee players,” Carroll said recently. “That’s not changed. It’s been the same every year. It’s the same…We have no intention of making any move there. But the conversations, [GM] John [Schneider] has to field those, he always has. But nothing specific.”

Wilson has had his eyes on the Broncos for a while, dating back to his four-team list of acceptable trade destinations. Still, in interviews, the 33-year-old tried to slow the rumor mill down.

“I’ve been fortunate to be able to play ten amazing years in Seattle,” Wilson said roughly three weeks ago. “My hope and goal is to be back there and keep winning there. That’s the vision, that’s the goal. That’s always been it, never been anything different.”

Wilson has been connected to a number of teams this year, including the newly-crowned Washington Commanders. They were said to have sent a “strong offer,” though it’s unclear if they approached the Broncos’ mega-package. Wilson, of course, holds a no-trade clause, so it’s possible that the Broncos had the second-best offer en route to the winning bid.

The Broncos also had the cap room to accommodate the deal, unlike some of the other teams tied to Wilson. Heading into today, they had $41.999M in cap space. So, even before factoring in Lock and Harris, Denver had the room necessary to take on the deal.

The Broncos may agree to give Wilson a brand-new deal as a part of the trade. So far, we’ve yet to hear any word on that front. For now, they’ve got the superstar under contract for two more non-guaranteed years.

Denver Emerging As Premier QB Destination

March 5th, 2022 at 6:15pm CST by Ely Allen

We wrote a bit earlier today on the Broncos being among multiple AFC teams who “have trade compensation lined up with the Packers,” in relation to quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Well, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Denver has emerged as a prime location for many of the league’s veteran quarterbacks looking for a potential change of scenery.

The Broncos recently hired former Packers’ offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to replace Vic Fangio, who failed to accomplish a winning season in three years with the Broncos. The former Green Bay staffer represents an obvious and strong connection for Rodgers. Should Rodgers decide to move on from the Packers, having a play-caller that he’s familiar with could add some allure to the Mile High City. Another intriguing aspect that could bring a star quarterback to Denver is the addition of former Vikings’ offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Kubiak just helped Kirk Cousins turn in one of his best seasons in Minnesota.

Hackett and company inherit an impressive roster posed to perform. The defense is comprised of veterans like outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, safety Justin Simmons, defensive end Shelby Harris, and cornerback Ronald Darby. There are a number of free agents that Denver would like to bring back like cornerbacks Bryce Callahan & Kyle Fuller, defensive back Kareem Jackson, inside linebacker Josey Jewell, and outside linebacker Malik Reed. Even if they fail to bring some of those names back, the Broncos saw impressive seasons last year for youngsters like cornerback Patrick Surtain II, linebacker Baron Browning, defensive end Dre’Mont Jones, and safety Caden Sterns. The list of defensive players above may not overwhelm you with stardom, but, together, the Broncos defense ranked third in the league in points allowed and eighth in the league in yards allowed.

In addition to a brand new offense and stacked defense, Denver boasts a nice array of young offensive weapons. An impressive receiving corps is led by veteran 26-year-old Courtland Sutton, young star Jerry Jeudy, and Tim Patrick, who has broken out a bit over the past two seasons. The Broncos also have two talented, young receiving tight ends in Noah Fant and Albert Okwuegbunam. Any quarterback looking to join in on the fun would potentially have the benefit of a two-headed rushing attack that was 79 yards short of a combined 2,000-yard rushing season. Running back Javonte Williams enjoyed a healthy dose of carries in his rookie season, and there is mutual interest in bringing back Melvin Gordon.

Rodgers is obviously a name to keep an eye on as the decision on his future in Green Bay looms on the horizon. He has said that he will let the Packers know of his intentions before the franchise tag deadline so they can figure out how to deal with free agent wide receiver Davante Adams. In addition to Rodgers, though, keep an eye out for Denver to make moves on other quarterbacks searching for greener pastures. Russell Wilson has long been rumored to be interested in moving on from Seattle, and Deshaun Watson is still searching for a new home.

Whether Rodgers, Wilson, Watson, or some other under-the-radar name, look for the Broncos to make a move for a star quarterback. If they are able to find the right fit, the move could bring them into contention for what could easily turn into the toughest division in football.