ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. doesnt see any reason to lament his lot in life right now. Despite dealing with a torn left ACL that sidelined him for the Super Bowl and probably cost him $1 million in salary next season, the Denver Broncos most versatile cornerback was thrilled to sign his one-year restricted free-agent tender Tuesday. It will pay him $2,187,000 next season — or more than 1,000 times the $2,000 signing bonus he received four years ago as an undrafted college free agent. "Ill take it," Harris told The Associated Press. "Im definitely happy with it. Im excited to go back out there, get back healthy and lead this team back to the Super Bowl." Had Harris not gotten hurt in the playoffs, the Broncos would have probably had to use the highest tender on him — a one-year deal worth more than $3.1 million that carried a first-round pick as compensation. Instead, they were able to use the second-highest tender available. With the Broncos able to match any offers, no suitors came calling for Harris, whos been rehabbing at the Broncos facilities since shortly after undergoing surgery in February following Denvers loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl. "Teams were not going to give up a second-round pick. We realized that," Harris said. "We know that next year is a big year for me." Harris ligament in his left knee wasnt completely torn when he got hurt against San Diego in the playoffs and he and the Broncos are optimistic hell be ready by the start of training camp in July and will resume his role as a leader on Denvers defence. If that happens, the Broncos are expected to work toward a longer-term deal for Harris after next season when he hits unrestricted free agency. "I definitely think Ill be close to 100 per cent by the start of training camp," Harris said. "You never know with this type of injury, but the ligament wasnt completely torn and right now Im feeling great. The treatment is going great and Im improving each week." Harris is coming off a monster year in which he posted 65 tackles, 58 of them solo, three interceptions and 14 pass breakups while allowing the fifth-fewest yards receiving (25 a game) and tying for the eighth-fewest completions allowed (35) in the NFL among players targeted at least 60 times. His emergence and versatility playing both the slot and on the outside helped the Broncos decide to bid farewell to star Champ Bailey this off-season after he played sparingly last year. Then, the signing of fellow University of Kansas alum Aqib Talib led to the departure of free agent Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. "Champ and I always talked and we kind of understood this would probably happen. We werent surprised" by Baileys exit, Harris said. "Losing Champ, I feel I can take over his role on the field and also I can take over his leadership role. If you look at it, I was the starting corner pretty much the whole season last year. "You see my production and you see Talib, me and him have played together before, so were familiar with each other communication-wise, chemistry-wise, and thats a big thing." Harris was a freshman at Kansas in 2007 when Talib was an All-American his junior year before being drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that following spring. "Weve always been pretty tight. And friends always joke around saying, What if you and Talib play together now?" Harris said. "Now, its kind of crazy. I was just a freshman. I was young and still learning the game. Now, Im in my fourth season in the NFL and with all Aqibs experience, weve got a pretty solid duo. Its going to be great." ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapletonFranco Harris Jersey . -- Hal Steinbrenner says Alex Rodriguez is "a great player" and "obviously an asset," but the New York Yankees managing general partner wouldnt discuss the third basemans possible return to the team following a season-long suspension. Ernie Stautner Jersey .C. -- Clemson celebrated a senior class Saturday that brought the program back as a national contender. http://www.authenticsteelerspro.com/Hine...teelers-jersey/. Canadas 5-1 loss to Finland in the semifinal ranks as the tournaments most-watched game with a record 2.7 million viewers, the largest ever for a World Juniors game played outside of North America, and winning Saturday as the most-watched program on Canadian television. Louis Lipps Jersey . - The first sign that Kansas Speedway was going to be a heartbreaker for Hendrick Motorsports should have come during qualifying when Jimmie Johnson inexplicably spun and earned one of his worst starting spots since 2005. John Stallworth Jersey .twitter.com/TeZD3KOvlA — Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) September 24, 2014 Sorry for the delay, we just got back from lunch at Papa Vons #NBAFastFood pic.LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Just minutes after Andrew Wiggins put No. 6 Kansas on his back, scoring six of his career-high 29 points in the defining moment of the game, Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg offered a glowing assessment of the star freshman. "You can tell hes oozing with confidence," Hoiberg said Wednesday night after his 16th-ranked Cyclones lost 92-81, "and thats scary." The nations No. 1 recruit, Wiggins has finally started to live up to his hype. He matched his 27-point performance in a win over TCU last weekend with a dunk that gave Kansas an 81-72 lead with just under 3 minutes remaining, and then added a couple free throws for his career high. The freshman hit four 3-pointers and finished 10 of 16 from the field. "Im just starting to feel more comfortable," Wiggins said. It helped that he didnt have to carry the load himself. Perry Ellis added 20 points, Joel Embiid had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Naadir Tharpe finished with 12 points and 12 assists for the Jayhawks (16-4, 7-0 Big 12), who won their seventh straight game. Wayne Selden had 11 points and five assists. "Im not surprised at all because we got prepared to play these games," Tharpe said. "It was a matter of time until everyone just went out there and started to play." Georges Niang led the Cyclones (15-4, 3-4) with 24 points. DeAndre Kane added 22 points and Melvin Ejim, battling foul trouble much of the game, finished with 18 points and eight rebounds. Iowa State started the season with 14 straight wins, but has now dropped four of its last five. That includes a 77-70 loss to the Jayhawks earlier this month in Ames. "If theyre hitting shots like that," Hoiberg said of the Jayhawks, "thats going to be a tough, tough team to beat." The Jayhawks held on despite a shortened bench. Forward Tarik Black missed his second game with an ankle injury while guard Conner Frankamp did not suit up because of a knee injury. It didnt seem to matter early in the game. The Jayhawks roared to a 30-14 lead in the opening minutes, dominating on the offensive glass and taking advantage of rapidly retreating Cyclones on the defensive boards.dddddddddddd Just as quickly, though, Iowa State whittled into the lead. The comeback began with a jam off an alley-oop pass by Ejim, and picked up momentum when the Cyclones hit 3-pointers on four straight trips down court. By the time Monte Morris finished off the run, done mostly while Wiggins sat on the bench, the lead had been trimmed to 37-34. "Ive been in this building enough as a player, as a coach, a scout, and it happens pretty much every game, they come out and hit shots early and you have to withstand it, you have to withstand the runs," Hoiberg said. "I give our guys credit for clawing back in the game." The Cyclones pulled even for the first time when Kane buried a 3-pointer out of halftime, but the Jayhawks responded with 11 straight points to regain control. Wiggins did most of the work, hitting a long jumper and a scooping layup while also getting to the free throw line. By that point, a packed crowd that included Kansas City Royals Billy Butler and Jeremy Guthrie and Grammy nominated musician Trey Songz was on its feet. Iowa State made one more charge. Ejim scored to draw within 73-69 and force Kansas coach Bill Self to call a timeout, and Niang drained a 3-pointer moments later to make it a one-point game. Embiid responded with a thunderous dunk, and after Kane turned it over at the other end, the Cyclones intentionally fouled Wiggins on a fast break. He made both free throws, and then added a putback off Embiids miss to make it a four-point trip. "That was a pretty big call," Niang said of the intentional foul. "Not saying it was a bad call or anything, but thats where they took off." Wiggins added a run-out dunk after another turnover to give the Jayhawks an 81-72 lead, and the defending Big 12 champions coasted the rest of the way to its 18th win in 19 meetings with Iowa State. "We gave ourselves a chance," Hoiberg said, "and at the end of the day, we gave ourselves an opportunity in as tough an environment as were going to play in." 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