The New York Jets retained an important part of their defense Friday, re-signing linebacker David Harris four days before he was to become an unrestricted free agent.
Harris' new contract will be three years, $21.5 million, including $15 million guaranteed in the first two years, according to a league source.
"After hearing the plans and vision of Coach [Todd] Bowles and [general manager] Mike Maccagnan, there was no doubt I wanted to return, help win a Super Bowl with the Green & White, and retire a Jet," Harris said Friday.
Of the Jets' 17 pending free agents, Harris was their No. 1 priority, so this is an important step forMaccagnan, who earlier in the day acquired wide receiver Brandon Marshall in a trade with the Chicago Bears, sources said. The trade can't become official until Tuesday, the start of the league year.
The Jets felt a sense of urgency with Harris, who would've been pursued by the Buffalo Bills if he had been allowed to hit the open market. New Bills coach Rex Ryan, formerly of the Jets, was targeting Harris after trading linebacker Kiki Alonso to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Harris, 31, has been a mainstay on the Jets' defense since 2007, when he was drafted in the second round out of Michigan. In fact, he has led the team in tackles in seven of his eight seasons, coming up short in 2008 because he missed five games with a groin injury.
In 2014, Harris played in 99.4 percent of the defensive snaps, a typical year for him. Under Ryan, he was an every-down linebacker in the truest sense. He also was Ryan's quarterback on the field, calling the defensive signals.
Harris led the Jets with 101 solo tackles last season, surpassing the 1,000 mark for total tackles in his career. He also tied a career high with 5.5 sacks, as he was heavily involved in the blitz package. He struggled at times in pass coverage, and some scouts wonder how long he'll be able to stay an every-down linebacker.
The Jets thought so much of Harris in 2011 that he received the franchise tag, which he parlayed into a four-year, $36 million contract. He's never made the Pro Bowl, but he's always been regarded as a model of consistency and unselfishness.