The Denver Broncos are just getting started on potential housekeeping items in the aftermath of the Russell Wilson release. As Denver looks to become cap-compliant by the start of the new league year, they’re letting a veteran defensive lineman test the free agency market.
Denver Broncos letting Jonathan Harris test NFL free agency
Veteran defensive lineman Jonathan Harris will likely be playing for a new team in 2024 as the Denver Broncos look to head in another direction in hopes of upgrading that position group.
NFL Network Insider Tom Peliserro first reported the news on Wednesday morning.
The #Broncos informed DL Jonathan Harris they aren’t tendering him as a restricted free agent, per source. Harris played in all 17 games last season, starting five, and now hits the open market at age 27.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 6, 2024
Harris appeared in all 17 games for the Broncos last season, including starting in five for Denver’s defense under Vance Joseph. He finished the season with 43 tackles, one sack, and four quarterback hits.
Not only will the position group undergo a renovation to improve against the run, they named Jamar Cain as their defensive line coach last week after he spent 2023 as the team’s pass rush specialist.
Zach Allen and D.J. Jones are the only two starters on the defensive line who are expected to return to the team in 2024, but the depth behind them is a major question.
With Harris departing, the Broncos do have Matt Henningsen, Eljiah Garcia, and Jordan Jackson on the roster as potential rotational pieces at defensive end. Denver’s biggest question mark comes at defensive tackle, where they’ll more than likely look to add a starter in NFL free agency.
Broncos GM George Paton emphasized the defensive line as one of the team’s biggest areas of concern or need for improvement last week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“We feel like we need to be better in the run, and we need to stop the run better,” Paton said. “We were inconsistent, a lot of things we did. Week 1 through [Week] 6 or one through the first six games, we were the worst defense in the league and then the final 11 [games] we were in the Top 10, Top 5 in a lot of metrics so really just be more consistent. I think we need to get better inside, stopping the run. Just be more disciplined at times and you saw that earlier. I saw that a little late with some of the busted coverages. You can always use help in the secondary, but I feel good about the young core on defense, and we will just continue to add depth.”
While the Broncos have expressed that they won’t likely be in a position to make huge splashes in the first wave of free agency, they’ll likely focus on adding quality depth and a starter or two in free agency in the coming weeks.