Harris is Denver's second defensive starter to have suffered a torn ACL in the past three games. Linebacker Von Miller suffered a torn right ACL in the Broncos' Dec. 22 victory at Houston.
Harris is expected to have surgery when the swelling in the knee subsides and begin what is expected to be a six- to nine-month recovery. He will not participate in the team's offseason programs and would likely miss at least some of training camp and preseason.
It is an enormous loss for the Broncos' secondary. Harris, who made the team as an undrafted rookie in 2011, has grown into the team's most consistent defensive back this season, a do-it-all player who lines up wherever he is needed and plays in all of Denver's defensive packages.
To further illustrate Harris' value, the Broncos allowed a Total QBR of 43.6 in the regular season when Harris was on the field, according to ESPN Stats & Info. In the 81 snaps that he wasn't on the field, opponents had a Total QBR of 93.
The Broncos led 17-0 on Sunday when Harris departed, and Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers targeted his replacement –- Quentin Jammer –- plenty down the stretch as San Diego scored all 17 of its points in the fourth quarter.
Harris played 1,042 snaps on defense in the regular season, the most of any Broncos player on that side of the ball. He was one of just two players –- linebacker Danny Trevathan was the other –- to top 900 snaps in the regular season.
The Broncos have kept 11 defensive backs on the roster this season, so they have in-house options. One would be to leave Jammer in the base defense and keep Champ Bailey in the slot as the nickel cornerback.
Or they could move Bailey back outside if they think he's ready after three games since his return to the lineup from a left foot injury that kept him out of 11 games this season. The Broncos could use rookie Kayvon Webster, who is playing with a cast on his surgically repaired right thumb, more as well.
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