ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos have placed defensive Shelby Harris on injured reserve, the team announced Thursday.
Denver also activated tight end Jake Butt from injured reserve to the active roster.
Harris suffered a knee injury in the Broncos' Week 16 loss to the Chargers and was unlikely to play in Week 17.
"I don't think Shelby will be able to play this week," Head Coach Vic Fangio said earlier Thursday. "He showed up Monday with a knee that was bothering him, and they're into the process of evaluating that — the best way to treat it. So, it's unlikely that he'll play this week."
Fangio said he was "not sure" if Harris would need surgery on his injured knee.
Against the Chargers, Harris recorded four tackles, one quarterback hit and two pass breakups. On the Chargers' penultimate series, Harris batted down a pass that helped set the Broncos up to tie the game late.
Harris appeared in 11 games for Denver this season and posted seven pass breakups, one forced fumble, 2.5 sacks, 32 tackles, four tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hits.
He is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
"Obviously it would mean the world," Harris said of potentially staying in Denver. "My family loves Denver, I love Denver, and Denver's done nothing but do right by me since I've been here. I love it here, but at the end of the day I understand it's a business and so you got to be ready for everything. … I've had two of my kids here, this is home for them, so obviously Denver is a special place for me. They gave me my first chance really in the league to go out there and really be a player and really believe in me and trust me to go out and do my job. They've rewarded me with four extra years in the NFL, four years of playing for this great franchise. I'm forever grateful to Denver, but my biggest thing though is that it's a business and so I understand. I just go and just play football."
Butt, meanwhile, could return to the field for the first time since Week 6. The 2017 fifth-round pick has recorded two catches for five yards this season and was a special teams contributor early in the season.
He was placed on IR on Nov. 3 after suffering a hamstring injury.
