Chris Harris Jr., CB, Los Angeles Chargers
We can close out this list with two deals that struck a nice balance between value and creative contract construction. The Los Angeles Chargers made a big move to help shore up their secondary when they added Chris Harris Jr. from the Denver Broncos. Harris struggled a bit with a switch to playing on the outside, but remains a very solid option as a slot cornerback. The Chargers can either keep him on the boundary across from Casey Hayward, or slide him into the slot and use Desmond King, who has been a slot corner for them, on the outside.
What makes this deal a value for the Chargers is how they constructed the contract. They signed Harris to a two-year deal reportedly worth $20.25 million dollars. However, when you dive into the terms you can see how the Chargers truly manufactured this deal to make it very team-friendly. The only guarantee on the deal is a $7.5 million signing bonus. Harris plays for a salary of just $2 million this season – very low dollars for a starting cornerback – and next year his salary is $7.5 million, none of which is guaranteed. What they pay for in terms of cash up front, they get on the back end with a very team-friendly deal for a top corner.
Bulaga | Sanders | Clinton-Dix | Ebron | Butler | Littleton | Joseph | Agholor | Ebner | Harris | Hargrave