5 Areas EDGE Charles Harris Must Improve In Headed into 2022
Detroit pass rusher Charles Harris signed a one-year, prove-it deal last offseason, and boy, did he prove it.
Harris emerged as the team leader in sacks (7.5), after signing with Detroit on a one-year deal for $1,750,000 in early 2021, with a $350,000 signing bonus.
Harris had not lived up to the Miami Dolphins' expectations, after being a first-round draft selection of theirs in 2017. Harris then moved on to Atlanta, but things did not work out that well there, either.
The Lions signed him, and after a stellar season in 2021, they re-signed him. This time, Harris landed more cash (a two-year deal worth $13 million, with a $5.965M signing bonus).
However, it is still a deal that pales in comparison to other veteran pass rushers, like Buffalo’s Von Miller (signed to a six-year deal worth $120 million).
The name of the game on defense is getting to the quarterback, and Harris showed enough value in that area to stick. However, despite the statistical increases shown, there are still five areas Harris must improve in, based on the (11/25) Chicago, (12/12) Denver and (1/2) Seattle games.
After all, this is a “what have you done for me lately” league, and every year, there is another incoming draft class. A two-year deal from Detroit says, “We respect what you did last year, but we still want to see more.”
1.) Harris needs to use his hands better (while pass rushing and run defending)
There were countless times in the three aforementioned games, specifically in pass-rush situations, where Harris just used his body to lean into the tackle and didn't use his hands. Tackles were able to easily press into Harris and take him for a nice, long ride around the perimeter of the pocket.
On running downs, the same thing occurred. There was example after example of Harris easily getting tied up on the perimeter. Whether the running play went up the middle or to either side, Harris struggled to disengage in time to make the stop.
2.) He needs to get more aggressive against the run
After four straight seasons of very low-tackling production in Miami and Atlanta, Harris put up 65 tackles (34 solo) in 2021. However, in these three evaluated games, it did not look too impressive. Approximately 90 percent of the time, Harris was seen dancing around on the perimeter, instead of getting involved in defending the run.
3.) He needs to do a better job of following the ball
This popped up several times where Harris was seemingly fooled by play misdirection. Against Denver, there was a fake handoff inside, and the Broncos QB instead rolled out. Harris first got sucked inside on the fake, before realizing what happened and still managed to create pressure by charging in. Had he not been momentarily fooled, he might have been able to turn that pressure into a sack.
David Reginek, USA TODAY Sports
There were other times when he looked like he lost where the ball was or who had it for a split second, and that is all it takes in the NFL.
4.) Harris needs to press harder and more often as a pass rusher into the “B” gaps
The “B” gaps are the gaps that exist to the inside shoulder of either the left or right offensive tackle. Detroit likes to flip flop Harris from one side of its defensive line to the other and challenge both of the opponent’s offensive tackles.
Harris primarily tries to take the outside road to get to the quarterback. He does not challenge the inside “B” gaps nearly enough, and that is where he tends to get the most pressure, with his ability to accelerate up into the pocket.
Harris lacks the pure speed to blow through the backdoor, and he does not have many pass-rushing tools in his toolshed. Harris’ best approach is getting offensive tackles to commit hard to the back edge of the perimeter, switch it up and come back hard to the inside - - or to just shoot the “B” gap from the word "go."
5.) Harris should rush the passer at a lower pad level
Harris tends to press the pocket while playing too high, and subsequently, it becomes easier for tackles to control him on the perimeter. This is especially true since his hand usage is very inconsistent. If he is going to try to bend the edge, Harris needs to get lower and press harder to attempt to get through the backdoor and pressure the QB.
