2. Chris Harris
Yes, Chris Harris Jr. was named a second-team All-Pro, but that’s not nearly good enough. And honestly, this may be the biggest snub of them all. The only reason I have him second is because he at least got some recognition.
The three cornerbacks that made it onto the first team were Josh Norman, Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu. And while they’re all very good defensive backs, I can make a very simple case for why Harris was a better option than any of the three: He’s the only one that plays on the league’s No. 1 passing defense.
In fact, Arizona, which had both of their cornerbacks on the first-team, is only eighth in pass defense. But the Broncos can’t even get one?
Not only that, but Chris Harris Jr. finished the season ranked higher than both Peterson and Norman according to PFF’s grading system, marking the third time in four years that he’s finished the season inside their top five (he was sixth in 2013).
Everybody remembers the Steelers game, where Harris gave up 12 catches, 137 yards and two touchdowns to Antonio Brown, but that isn’t indicative of his season in the slightest; he simply ran into an unstoppable force at the most inopportune time.
Look at every other snap this season, and there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll see a top-three cornerback in the NFL, and it’s a shame he doesn’t get the recognition.
