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Denver Broncos re-sign DT Shelby Harris, agree to deal with CB Ronald Darby

The Denver Broncos are re-signing defensive tackle Shelby Harris to a three-year contract, the team announced Monday.

Harris can make as much as $27 million on the deal, sources told ESPN.

The Broncos also agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract that includes $19.5 million guaranteed with cornerback Ronald Darby, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Harris has effectively carved out a significant place in the Broncos' defense over the past four seasons, but especially in the past two since coach Vic Fangio's arrival. Harris became the team's most consistent presence up front and tied for the league lead this past season when he knocked down seven passes.

"Shelby sets the tone on our defensive line," Broncos general manager George Paton said in a statement. "As a disruptive pass rusher and physical run defender, he's hard to handle up front. We're excited to have Shelby back with the Broncos."

He had been a free agent going into the 2020 offseason as well, but he eventually signed a one-year, $3.095 million deal to stay with the Broncos. Harris played both defensive end and on the interior, and Fangio said he believed he had seen some of Harris' best play this past season.

Harris, 29, missed four games due to a bout with COVID-19, and he was placed on injured reserve before the season finale with a knee injury. He finished with 32 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Before he signed with the Broncos in 2017, Harris had been released six times by three different teams combined.

Throughout the season, Harris had expressed his hope to stay with the Broncos but had also consistently offered the caveat he would do "what was best for me and my family'' if he couldn't reach an agreement with Denver.

He has 168 tackles and 16.5 sacks in 67 career games.

Darby, who turned 27 in January, signed a one-year deal worth $4 million to play for Washington last season. He started all 16 regular-season games for the first time in his six-year career. Darby said during the season that he was not used to playing as much zone as Washington did, which led to some early inconsistencies.

He finished the season with 55 tackles and 16 passes defended but he did not intercept a pass. He has eight interceptions in his career.

Darby had missed a combined 20 games in the previous three seasons before joining Washington. He tore his ACL in 2018 with the Philadelphia Eagles, causing him to miss seven games.

The Buffalo Bills selected Darby out of Florida State in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played two seasons with Buffalo before being traded to Philadelphia for receiver Jordan Matthews and a 2018 third-round pick.

Darby spent the next three years with the Eagles, signing a one-year deal to stay there in 2019. But he signed with his hometown team last offseason. Darby played high school ball in Oxon Hill, Maryland, which is approximately 16 miles from FedEx Field.

ESPN's John Keim contributed to this report.