LA Chargers: 5 players who have offered almost nothing in 2021
By Jason Reed
5. Chris Harris Jr.
Chris Harris Jr. has been really bad for the LA Chargers this season. In fact, the Bolts were dealing with a cornerback crisis in Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles with both Asante Samuel Jr. and Michael Davis being out and the practice squad corners that filled in arguably played better than Harris.
Harris, who is undoubtedly a future Hall of Fame candidate and is arguably the best cornerback of the 2010s, has provided the Chargers and the fans with a valuable lesson. Don't sign old cornerbacks to significant contracts.
If you want to take a flier on someone like Casey Hayward and sign them to a small one-year deal then fine, that is okay. But don't sign a cornerback who is over 30 to a multi-year deal that makes them one of the highest-paid players on the team. It just never works. Cornerbacks age horribly in the NFL.
Harris has been targeted 19 times in five games this season and has allowed 14 receptions for 202 yards. Harris has not even played against a great quarterback, either. He was out against Dallas and Kansas City and has played Washington, Cleveland, Baltimore, New England and Philadelphia.
Lamar Jackson is great but isn't someone who is going to sling the ball all around the field and the Ravens leaned into the run in those games. In fact, Harris might be lucky the run defense is as bad as it is or teams would be throwing the ball more and targeting him more.
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Chris Harris has been downright bad this season and at this point is not even a top-three corner on the team when everyone is healthy.