Seahawks' Restructure Contract of Former Broncos DL Shelby Harris
Former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Shelby Harris and the Seattle Seahawks have agreed on a new contract, according to a report by Ian Rapoport.
"The Seahawks restructured former Broncos DT Shelby Harris’ contract to create $3,260,588 in cap room, source said," wrote Rapoport on Twitter.
Harris (30) spent five years with the Broncos after originally breaking into the NFL with the Raiders. He had 5.5 sacks in his first season in Denver in 2017 and had career highs of six sacks in both 2019 and 2021.
The Broncos rewarded Harris following the 2020 season with a three-year, $27 million contract that included a $9 million signing bonus and $15 million guaranteed, according to Spotrac.
Harris only played the first year of that deal in Denver before being part of the trade that helped bring nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos.
The Broncos looked to free agency to help replace Harris by signing D.J. Jones to a three-year $30 million contract from the San Francisco 49ers.
The Seahawks were scheduled to pay Harris $7.5 million in base salary this year, and while terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, the Seahawks are saving more than $3 million in cap space in 2022.
The Seahawks signaled they were ready to enter a rebuild when they moved Wilson for two first-round selections, two second-round choices, a fifth-rounder, quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, and Harris.
They could elect to roll those savings into 2023 when they already have an estimated $58 million in available cap space before taking into account savings from Harris' new deal.
The Broncos gave up a lot to get Wilson, including Harris, and he's now doing his part to help accelerate the rebuild in Seattle.
