Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris will be active Sunday for the AFC Championship against the New England Patriots, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. Harris suffered a bone bruise in his shoulder during the regular season finale against the San Diego Chargers and then re-aggravated the injury in last weekend's Divisional round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Broncos CB Chris Harris will play against Patriots despite shoulder bruise
Harris has reportedly required 24-hour treatment.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
He was limited to just 47 snaps in that game and strictly played at the nickel cornerback position. The injury has reportedly demanded 24-hour treatment.
The Pro Bowl defensive back is an integral part of Denver’s top-ranked pass defense, which held opponents to just 199.6 passing yards per game and 6.2 yards per attempt. Despite his modest stats (two interceptions, six passes defended), Harris passes the eye test as one of the league’s top shutdown cover guys. He graded out as the 10th-best cornerback this season, per Pro Football Focus.
The availability of Harris, even in a more limited capacity, is great news for a Denver defense that will have its hands full in shutting down the Patriots' dynamic, pass-heavy offense. He is a versatile defender capable of locking down receivers on the outside and in the slot. That's a skill that becomes even more crucial in trying to stop New England's diverse aerial attack and shifty wideout Julian Edelman, who typically lines up all over the field.
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