Erik

Harris

Harris joined the Falcons on a one-year deal last offseason. He previously spent four years with the Raiders, taking over as a starter in his final two seasons. Harris started 12 games for Atlanta in 2021 before suffering a torn pec that knocked him out for the remainder of the season. He defended eight passes while playing an every-down role. With his team having so many other needs to address, it’s likely that Harris keeps his starting job for another campaign.

The Falcons inked Harris to a one-year deal after his tenure with the Raiders came to a close at the end of the 2020 season. He earned a starting role for the defense and has been an every-down player for Atlanta throughout the year. His sixth season as a pro comes to a close with eight passes defended and half a sack.

A free agent afterthought, Harris has been an every-down player, if not a particularly good one. His loss still forces the Falcons to dig into depth they don’t have. A quick rule out with a chest issue suggests a torn muscle somewhere in the upper body.

Harris had been an inconsistent starter for the Raiders the past two seasons, soaking up 1,624 snaps and 135 tackles across 30 appearances on defense. He’ll also likely be asked to play special teams in Atlanta since he’s thrived on that unit since initially entering the league in 2016.

Harris has started 30 games over the last three seasons, playing 87% of the defensive snaps last season and 77% this year. It’s unclear if Harris has tested positive or is a close contact. The Raiders host the Dolphins and go to Denver Weeks 16-17 to close out the season.

The deal contains $2.5 million guaranteed and is worth up to $6.5 million. Harris is a core special teams player for the Silver and Black.

The tender is worth $2.025 million. Because he was an undrafted free agent, the Raiders will receive no compensation if Harris signs with another team. The former CFLer is primarily a special teamer, but he did play 433 snaps on defense last season.

Harris, an undrafted Division II player who got his start in the CFL, has “caught the eye several times” while getting a handful of reps with the first-team defense. Kenny Vaccaro and Jairus Byrd are still the heavy favorites to start at safety but Harris could certainly push for a spot on the 53-man roster.

A 2012 UDFA, Harris spent three years in Canada, where he played alongside Saints CB Delvin Breaux. It was Breaux who brought Harris to the team’s attention. “We had success with Breaux, and Delvin felt really strongly about (Harris),” Payton said. “He (runs) well and has good instincts. He’s receiving work at the free, he can play the strong, he’s versatile. That’s been a good add for us.” Harris got some first-team reps in the offseason, but isn’t in the mix to start with Kenny Vaccaro and Jairus Byrd entrenched. In a best-case scenario, Harris will springboard a strong camp into a role on special teams.

He’ll be placed on I.R. Harris played just two snaps on defense, but he was a key special teams player in his first year after playing in Canada the previous three seasons. The Saints continue to lose defenders to injury.