Harris: Shoulder should be “ready to go”

Regardless of playoff opponent, the Broncos need Chris Harris.

The cornerback has allowed two touchdown passes since 2013 and functions as quarterback on defense, given his knowledge of coverages. The Broncos received good news Monday after a magnetic resonance imaging exam on Harris’ bruised left shoulder.

“It went good. I should be ready to go,” said Harris, who has additional time to recover before the Broncos host a divisional playoff game Jan. 17.

Harris suffered the injury in Sunday’s 27-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Chargers tend Antonio Gates slammed into him on a passing play.

“It was a screen, and Gates came out of nowhere and blind-sided me,” Harris said Sunday night. “And my arm just went dead. He hit the right spot, and my shoulder pads didn’t do a good job of blocking it. It’s a bruise. I will be back.”

For Harris, the playoffs represent an unfinished goal. He missed the AFC championship game and Super Bowl in 2014 because of a knee injury, and the Indianapolis Colts knocked the Broncos out of the divisional-round game last season, in part because former defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio elected not to have Harris cover slot receiver T.Y. Hilton.

The Broncos will play the worst remaining seed from the wild-card round this weekend. They enter as the top seed after claiming their fifth consecutive division title, matching the Oakland Raiders (1972-76) for the most consecutive AFC West crowns.

“Five straight AFC champs. That’s all I know. Since me and Von Miller walked into the building, we’ve been winning. Me and 58. That’s all we do is win the division,” said Harris, who is one of only five undrafted cornerbacks in league history to make multiple Pro Bowls with his original team. “This one was the hardest one of all of them. We had to go take it. They didn’t give it to us this year.”