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The New Orleans Saints are one of many teams making calls about Denver Broncos free agent cornerback Chris Harris Jr., per a report from Troy Renck of ABC 7-Denver. Renck lists five teams as having strong interest in Harris, including the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, with the Saints and Seattle Seahawks among a second tier of suitors that have also gauged his market. That would suggest the Saints are a long shot to sign him, but they do have a history of beating the odds.
Harris is one of the best veteran cornerbacks available in free agency, which his robust market would suggest. He initially made his name as a playmaking slot specialist for Wade Phillips’ Broncos defenses before successfully transitioning to a move out on the boundary. Just about every team in the NFL could use someone like him.
While he will be expensive (Harris is looking to beat the one-year, $12 million extension he signed last offseason), the Saints can create $3.65 million in salary cap space by releasing Patrick Robinson, the projected starter in the slot that Harris would be replacing anyway.
Still, it would require more careful salary cap maneuvering to get a deal with Harris completed, and with just three corners under contract as it is (including Robinson), it’s tough to see the Saints choosing to cut him outright. They need as many bodies on the depth chart as possible, especially at a position with such a high rate of attrition.
It’s important to remember that we’re inside the NFL’s legal tampering window right now, meaning that any team can contact any unrestricted free agent, so just because there’s chatter doesn’t mean a deal will be finished. Teams must wait until the start of the new league year on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT before pens can be put to paper, so this is very much a fluid situation.
#Broncos @ChrisHarrisJr has good market developing with strong interest from #Cowboys, #Lions, #Raiders, #Jets, #Chiefs. Multiple other teams have checked in, among them #Seahawks, #Saints. Not sure if #Texans situation changes with Roby signing. Plenty of options. #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/e3VgM0XBTa
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) March 16, 2020