The Broncos have waived second-year cornerback Taurean Nixon and signed veteran Chris Lewis-Harris.
At first glance this move seems like a way to simply get more experience in the Denver defensive backfield. This move also gives Broncos’ head coach Vance Joseph a known commodity, as Lewis-Harris was one of the corners in Cincinnati when Joseph served as the defensive backs coach (2014-15).
Lewis-Harris (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) is a sixth-year player who appeared in 33 regular-season games and three postseason contests with Cincinnati (2012-16) and Baltimore (2016) while also spending time on Cincinnati’s practice squad (2012-13, ’15). He signed with the Bengals as a college free agent in 2012.
In 2016, Lewis-Harris played seven games apiece with Cincinnati and Baltimore, combining to post five tackles (3 solo), one interception (11 yds.) and two passes defensed.
His career totals include 10 tackles (8 solo), one interception (11 yds.), two passes defensed and four special-teams stops.
Nixon was a seventh-round 2015 draft pick out of Tulane. Nixon played in only two games in his two years with Denver, making one tackle. Both games came in 2016 against the Oakland Raiders. He played predominantly specials teams in those games.
Some interesting footnotes to Nixon, he was drafted one pick behind Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian. The Broncos also selected Nixon’s college teammate Lorenzo Doss in the fifth round of the 2015 draft.