Broncos' CB Chris Harris, Jr. believes he 'has a chance' at ending up in the Hall of Fame

Chris Harris, Jr. entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2011, signing with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had a couple of established cornerbacks, including one you might have heard of before — Champ Bailey.

Bailey, a 12-time Pro Bowler, just entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot candidate. Harris played with Bailey for the first three years of his career and credits the Hall-of-Famer with mentoring him.

Harris was one of a small handful of current Broncos, including Von Miller and Derek Wolfe (also former teammates of Bailey's), who flew out to Canton for Bailey’s enshrinement ceremony and speech over the weekend. The experience gave Harris time to reflect on the merit of his own nine-year career, which has seen him rise to a level of success nearly unprecedented for a former undrafted rookie.

Harris has earned four Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro nods, including a first-team selection in 2016. Is he on a trajectory for the Hall of Fame, considering his accomplishments, which also includes a World Championship?

“I definitely think about it,” Harris said on Sunday. “I definitely know that I have a chance. But I have to continue to work every day [and] continue to perfect my craft every day. And when it’s time, hopefully when I retire, they understand how I changed the game inside and they really see I was good really wherever they put me.”

Yes, Harris most certainly established himself as the best slot cornerback in the NFL but did he really ‘change the game’? That’s a harder one to establish.

There’s no question Harris should be a shoe-in for the Broncos’ Ring of Fame, but the Hall of Fame? If Rod Smith, also a former undrafted rookie, can’t get a word in edgewise for his Hall of Fame worthiness, I’m not sure the road will be any easier for Harris, once he hangs up his cleats.

For now, though, Harris is still in the muss. He just received a pay raise in a contract year and his motivated to shine. The better he performs the more money he knows he’ll be able to command in 2020, whether it be from the Broncos or an outside team.

For what it’s worth, even though Harris is now barely on the wrong side of 30, there is a precedent for GM John Elway paying over-30 cornerbacks. One of Elway’s first moves as a new Broncos’ executive in 2011 was to extend Champ Bailey on a four-year deal.

Bailey played lights out for two and a half of those years before succumbing to Father Time. Bailey was almost 33 years old when he signed that extension worth $40 million-plus guaranteed.

There is hope for Chris Harris, Jr.’s story to continue in Denver beyond 2019. But he’s going to have to go out there and earn another big contract.

“Just motivates you to keep working,” Harris said. “That’s why I didn’t complain about coming back in practices. I just come back and do my thing and work. Try to make plays and that’s what we have to do. I can’t waste any days, you have to keep pushing and keep working.”

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.