ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris has requested a new contract or a trade, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter said he learned of the request through an NFL source.
Harris, 29, has been with the Broncos since he signed as a free agent in July 2011. Since then, he has had 462 tackles and 19 interceptions.
Broncos’ Pro-Bowl slot CB Chris Harris has requested a new contract or a trade, per league source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2019
During his eight-year NFL career, Harris has made a total of about $39 million, according to Spotrac.com.
General manager John Elway said Tuesday at his pre-draft news conference that he’ll address Harris’ contract after this weekend’s NFL Draft but also added “I said we’re going to talk about it. It doesn’t mean we’re going to do it.”
That didn’t sit well with Harris, who told The Associated Press in a text Tuesday night that he no longer wants to play in Denver if Elway doesn’t want to give him an extension.
“Yep, been disrespected too many times. In the media,” Harris said via text.
It’s the first time Harris has publicly discussed a desire to leave Denver should things not work out.
Harris, a perennial Pro Bowler who turns 30 in June, is due $7.8 million in 2019, the final season of a team-friendly, five-year, $42.5 million contract he signed in 2015.
Asked why he was waiting until after the draft to address Harris’ contract situation, Elway said, “I don’t have time right now. I’m busy with the draft.” And asked whether he foresees any scenario in which he’d trade Harris, Elway said, “I haven’t even thought about that, so no.”
The last remaining member of the “No Fly Zone” secondary that was the backbone of Denver’s Super Bowl 50 triumph, Harris is the only defensive back in the NFL with multiple interceptions in each of the last seven seasons.