Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
‘Irritated’ Harris returns to his hometown
Charles Harris returned home to Kansas City this weekend and all the while the Miami Dolphins rookie defensive end will keep trying to stave off frustration.
It’s not all that impressive when a high-profile firstround pick, the heir apparent to a passing-rushing throne that’s belonged to players such as Hall of Famer Jason Taylor and five-time Pro Bowl selection Cameron Wake, has just one sack through 14 games.
Harris is sick of hearing about his statistics.
“It’s irritating, but it is what it is,” said Harris, who has 17 tackles, two passes defended and a fumble recovery this season. “I know in due time it’s all going to come back around to fruition. “I ain’t worried.” And he’s sick of hearing Taylor and Wake both struggled to get sacks as rookies.
“Both are irritating,” he said. “People saying, ‘It’s coming, it’s coming,’ and people saying, ‘You ain’t supposed to have it right now.’ It’s like, ‘Yes, you are.’”
Harris just wants to put on a good show Sunday in his hometown. He estimates he might have 20 or 25 family and friends in attendance.
To that extent, his Christmas wish list is simple.
“A win,” he said. “And making everybody that’s Chiefs fans mad, making them very indecisive as to who they should cheer for.”
Dolphins fans worry about the long-term outlook with Harris. After all, this position recently chewed up and spit out defensive end Dion Jordan, the No. 3 pick of the 2013 draft.
The Dolphins continually stress they’re taking a big-picture approach with Harris, the 22nd pick in this year’s draft. And they say they’re satisfied so far.
After all, Harris, the former Missouri standout, made his second start last week at Buffalo and the reviews were good.
“I thought he actually played fairly well last game,” defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. “He played with a lot of energy, was running around and chasing. It was a big game for him — obviously with some faster guys in terms of quarterback and running back and those sorts of things — for his athleticism to show.
“We’ve just been trying to have Charles progress and progress and I think he’s done that.”
But the speed hasn’t surfaced yet. Neither has that dynamic first step that made him a pass-rushing headache in college. Both no-shows are considered concerning.
Over-powering offensive tackles isn’t an option. Harris (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) is sometimes outweighed by 50 pounds.
So speed, accompanied by an advantage-giving burst at the snap, and technique are Harris’ best assets.
Those traits were constants in offseason workouts, before players put on pads. At that time, Harris was playing even with Dolphins left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the 2016 first-round pick, and he was regularly beating Sam Young, the backup left tackle at the time and now the starting right tackle.
In the regular season, however, Harris hasn’t regularly beaten anyone.
In fairness to Harris, it must be noted his run defense has improved noticeably. Early in the season it was rare to see Harris on the field on first and second downs, which are usually running situations. Midway through the season that became more common and now Harris is a three-down player.
But the sacks, the entire reason he was a first-round pick, and the speedy, harassing pass rush haven’t been there.
Perhaps playing at home will spark something within Harris. That’s what happened when Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones played in Atlanta earlier this season. He had an interception in the final minute to clinch Miami’s rousing 20-17 come-from-behind victory.
“We knew he was going to do something special in that game,” coach Adam Gase said. “He wanted to make sure he was felt and made some kind of play, and he did.
“Every guy is not like that though.”
Harris has had success recently. He sacked Tennessee’s Matt Cassel in October, and came agonizingly close to a second career sack last week against Buffalo’s Tyrod Taylor. Harris got there first and got his hands on Taylor, but Wake actually took him to the ground.
Statistically, it was like Harris wasn’t even there. The official statistician gave the full sack to Wake instead of giving each player a halfsack. Harris shrugs off the slight.
“It be like that,” he said. “Those are just lessons learned and, of course, scars earned, for sure.
“That’s the type of stuff that eats the fans up, eats me up, and makes me want to work hard next game. Can’t wait to face him again.”