USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos choose not to re-sign RFA defensive lineman Jonathan Harris a week before free agency

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Wes Roesch | Last updated 3/6/24

The Denver Broncos have decided to allow one of their defensive linemen to hit the open market.

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero , the Broncos chose not to tender restricted free agent DL Jonathan Harris, meaning he will become an unrestricted free agent on March 13.

The #Broncos informed DL Jonathan Harris they aren’t tendering him as a restricted free agent, per source. Harris played in all 17 games last season, starting five, and now hits the open market at age 27.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 6, 2024

Harris, 27, appeared in 17 games with the Broncos last season, earning five starts, one sack and 43 combined tackles. Tendering Harris would have cost Denver almost $3 million, so it's possible that the team decided not to use the tender for salary cap reasons.

That means the Broncos could technically still bring Harris back, but they will now have to compete with the rest of the league in order to do so. Given Denver's dire salary cap situation at the moment, the team probably wouldn't be able to offer Harris more than league minimum, which is just over $1 million for players with five years of experience.

Over four of those five years, Harris has been a rotational depth piece for the Broncos. He has played 31 games with Denver, starting nine, and has notched 73 tackles. His only career sack came in 2023 against the Houston Texans.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: