Given the choice between salted caramel or blueberry lemon ice cream, Broncos corner Chris Harris Jr. says, “I like both — as long as it’s sweet, I’m on it.”
The two-time Pro Bowler had similar thoughts about the current three-way battle for starting quarterback.
“For us, it’s really just about whatever guy does the best job and gets us those wins,” Harris said, while scooping ice cream at the Taste the Broncos event Wednesday afternoon.
The story of the day, and the offseason up to date, is which man we will see under center on September 8, when the Broncos open up the NFL season against the Carolina Panthers. For most, the battle seems to exist solely between Mark Sanchez and first-round draft pick Paxton Lynch, but Trevor Siemian received nothing but positive words from his teammates and coaches.
“I like Trevor,” Brandon Marshall said. “I’ve been pulling for Trevor since last year.”
The bottom line? If dark horse candidate Siemian has garnered the approval of his teammates, then the quarterback situation is a legitimate battle, and not a political formality.
Regardless of who takes the snaps, Harris and fellow corner Kayvon Webster said the defensive focus remains inward.
“Everybody is just focused on doing their job, coming back and being better than last year,” Webster said.
In 2014, Harris Jr. didn’t make the NFL Top 100 cut. This year, Harris Jr. broke in at No. 52, a rank that forced a frustrated scoff out of teammate Von Miller.
“If Chris Harris isn’t in the top 30, I don’t wanna talk about it,” Miller said on the show. “It’s rightfully so that he should be in the top 100 — not only top 100 but top 50 — and if I’m picking, I put him in the top 25. He’s just that type of player.”
With Harris allowing just two touchdowns in the last two years and Miller posting 11 sacks, it seems like the Denver defense performed at the highest possible level, but they’re never-satisfied mentality keeps them hungry for more.
I asked Harris if heading into the offseason as Super Bowl 50 Champs created a more laid-back vibe, especially for an upbeat, ice-cream loving guy like him.
“I’m always laid back, but when we’re out there working, I’m not relaxed at all,” Harris Jr. said. “I’m out there trying to make sure everyone brings their A game.”
As far as his No. 52 ranking goes, he intends to improve on that mark next year. In fact, though many saw 2015 as the year of the defense, all three of the defensive standouts who spoke Wednesday said they just want to get better.
“We’ve got a lot of things to fix,” Webster said. “Our No. 1 goal is still to be the No. 1 defense.”
Perhaps that is why Siemian, Lynch and Sanchez have the luxury of competing and improving without pressure from coaches or teammates.
The remastered Orange Crush defense take pride in their ability to win games for their team. “Complacent” isn’t a word they use, so you can bet 2016 will be nothing short of spectacular, no matter who lines up at quarterback.
“We know that having new quarterbacks means we have to raise our game to another level,” Harris Jr. said. “A lot of us are young, still improving, getting into our primes — everyone still figures they can get better. As long as we can keep that mindset, we’ll continue to make plays and help the quarterbacks out.”
