Perhaps an old AFC West foe could help the Las Vegas Raiders next season by providing invaluable depth.
Chris Harris Jr. has played for half of the teams in the West during his career: the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers. Raider Nation is clamoring for their team to go after former New York Giant cornerback James Bradberry, though there’s going to be plenty of competition for his services. If the Raiders can’t secure Bradberry, Harris might be an option worth exploring.
What can Harris offer the Las Vegas Raiders?
In a perfect world, the Raiders land Bradberry and, by doing so, might be acquiring their number two corner. However, things don’t always go according to fans’ wishes. If Harris were to make the change from the City of Angels to Sin City, what would he bring to the table? First, he’s more than familiar with the AFC West, Las Vegas included. Last year with the Chargers and at the age of 32, Harris gave up 406 yards in pass coverage. By season’s end, Harris had surrendered just three touchdowns, and Pro Football Focus assessed him with a 60.4 coverage based off of 454 snaps in that department. All things considered, it was still serviceable, though it was a far cry from his 2016 dual All-Pro and Pro Bowl campaign.
Harris became expendable this offseason following some aggressive personnel moves by the Chargers. The team signed J.C. Jackson and, most recently, added Bryce Callahan. The team also drafted Deane Leonard and Ja’Sir Taylor. In an effort to go younger, the Chargers could end up handing Harris’s duties to Asante Samuel Jr. this season.
It’s easy to see why Harris might’ve been the odd man out, but while it’s fair to assume his days as an outside corner are dwindling, he still has enough left to be effective in the slot. The Raiders do have 2021 rookie sensation Nate Hobbs in place, but veteran depth behind him will be needed. In a more limited role, Harris could flourish at his age given his experience. Don’t forget that he accumulated six pass deflections and an interception. In other words, Harris can still make plays.
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