<p>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have addressed their biggest defensive need by agreeing to terms with former Washington cornerback Ronald Darby on a three-year deal that can be signed on Wednesday.</p>
<p>The three-year, $30 million agreement with the seventh-year cornerback followed an accord with defensive end Shelby Harris to stay in Denver.</p>
<p>Darby is cashing in after excelling on a one-year, $4 million contract with Washington last season. He started all 16 regular season games and Washington’s playoff loss. He collected 55 tackles and broke up 16 passes.</p>
<p>Both deals can become official when the league’s business year begins Wednesday. </p>
<p>A second-round pick by Buffalo in 2015, Darby spent 2017-19 in Philadelphia, where he was a part-time starter on the Eagles’ Super Bowl 52 championship team. </p>
<p>Darby joins Bryce Callahan and Michael Ojemudia in the Broncos’ backfield. Earlier this offseason, the Broncos jettisoned veteran cornerback A.J. Bouye after one unproductive seas in Denver. </p>
<p>Earlier Monday, new general manager George Paton scored his first victory as John Elway’s hand-picked successor when Harris agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal to stay in Denver.</p>
<p>Harris’ agent, Ryan Williams, announced that the seventh-year veteran was remaining with the Broncos on Twitter and the club confirmed the agreement.</p>
<p>Harris played on a one-year deal last year after finding no suitors in free agency despite setting personal highs with 49 tackles, six sacks and nine passes defensed in 2019.</p>
<p>He refused to lament his bad luck, however, saying he felt fortunate to have a job during the pandemic. </p>
<p>Even though he missed a month with COVID-19 last season, Harris had another solid season in coach Vic Fangio’s 3-4 defense, deflecting seven passes, tied with J.J. Watt for most by a defensive lineman in 2020.</p>
<p>Last week Paton said re-signing Harris, the Broncos’ top unrestricted free agent, was among the first items on his to-do list and he mentioned his close relationship with Harris’ agent.</p>
<p>“Ryan Williams is a great agent. I am close with Ryan and have spoken with him about Shelby,” Paton said. “Shelby is a priority in free agency. We’d love to have Shelby back. He’s a really good football player and a good person. I know Vic’s spoken with him. I’ve spoken with him early. He’s a guy we definitely want back.”</p>
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