Chris Harris Jr. on Free Agency: 'Everybody Deserves to See What They're Worth'

Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. is set for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and he didn't close the door to a return to the Denver Broncos even though he thinks it isn't a stretch to suggest he will sign elsewhere if he doesn't have a new contract by mid-March.

"I think that's the direction right now," Harris said in an interview with Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic and Justin Adams on 104.3 The Fan. "I think everybody deserves to see what they're worth, and I deserve it at this point. I think I worked my tail off for nine years, I gave the city every ounce of effort that I could give and, shoot, it's time to see what everybody else thinks about me."

However, he also said of the Broncos, "If they want me back, then I'll be back" while pointing out that decision is in president of football operations John Elway's hands.

Harris said talks with the Broncos ended after they parted ways with former director of football administration Mike Sullivan.

He also suggested he wasn't in an ideal situation last year as part of a secondary that was impacted by so many injuries around him. His future also apparently impacted his play, especially since the Broncos didn't fully commit to him with a new long-term deal.

"The whole thing—I was put in a situation with a team that, I didn't know if they wanted a future with me. You see what I'm saying? So you're playing ball, but you don't know if the team really wants you or if I'm going to be traded. Do I have a future with this team?"

Harris is a four-time Pro Bowler who was a First Team All-Pro selection in 2016. He is a proven playmaker and a primary reason Denver reached the playoffs five straight years from 2011 through 2015.

The team won a Super Bowl and reached another during that span, although it is coming off three straight losing seasons.

Pro Football Focus gave Harris a solid but unspectacular grade of 69.9 during the 2019 campaign, although he isn't far removed from his Pro Bowl effort in 2018. He will also be 31 years old during the 2020 season and may not have many more years of prime production left. 

That is something teams will surely weigh if and when he hits the open market, as he didn't seem confident he will be back in Denver.