Contract Year Countdown: Can Will Harris Keep His Place in Washington?

A fractured fibula completely derailed his first season in Washington. Now entering the final year of his deal at 30, veteran safety Will Harris faces a defining training camp to prove he still fits into the team's long-term secondary plans.

Sep 21, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders safety Will Harris (3) breaks up a pass intended for Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) during the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Safety Will Harris is not heading into the 2026 season with the same type of contract-year pressure that some of his fellow Washington Commanders teammates face, but that does not make his situation any less important.

For Harris, this is less about money and more about proving he still belongs in the Commanders' defensive plans. Last year, he played in nine total games after fracturing his fibula in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Bouncing Back From an Injury-Shortened 2025 Campaign

With Harris entering the final year of a two-year, $8 million deal at 30, the team knows what he brings to the field: a physical, versatile, and experienced veteran presence on the back end that Washington desperately needs. They need to see if he can stay healthy and maintain his current level of competitiveness over an extended period to justify keeping him around.

That, of course, is where training camp comes in. The challenge for Harris is that veteran depth, even excellent depth, can be replaced quickly in the NFL. Every team in the league is constantly looking to get younger, cheaper, and faster, especially at positions where they can develop replacements in-house. Harris needs to make the case that he is a better option than just turning the page.

The #Commanders signed S Will Harris on a two-year deal worth $8 Million with a max value of $10 million.

Adam Peters adding MUCH NEEDED pieces for our secondary 🔥🔥🫡 pic.twitter.com/nwCP0as35y

— Commando Mane🫡 (@Commando_Mane) March 11, 2025

Earning Trust in Daronte Jones’ New Secondary

If he can put together a strong camp and then a productive season, Harris will have some real leverage. Not star-level leverage, but the type of situation where the team sees he is valuable to what it wants to do and wants to keep him in the building. It is not impossible, but it will not be an easy task either. If new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones trusts him in packages and believes he brings value to the room, then it is not that big of a stretch to believe he can earn himself another short-term deal.

Of course, Commanders General Manager Adam Peters may decide the team is better off turning the page. Harris will need to make his statement of value on the field as early as training camp. It is not about proving he is the best safety in the secondary; it is about making sure he is still a part of it.

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