After ‘terrible’ year, Christian Harris eyes fresh start with Falcons

Across 15 games, Harris started only one. He played just 92 total snaps defensively, and there were more games where he didn’t see time on defense (eight) than he did (seven). He was relegated to a special teams role. His frustration grew.

“But at the same time, I’m in the league,” Harris said during OTAs. “It’s like a double-edged sword. Like, it’s a blessing and a curse at the same time.”

Harris leaned on his faith, his teammates and his older brother Tylor, who played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2016. They kept him going. They kept his head straight and gave him a new lens to find the light in a year covered in darkness — a year that put Harris into a hungry, yet appreciative, mindset entering his first season in Atlanta.

“Everybody’s got a story,” Harris said. “Might not necessarily go exactly how you plan for it to, but I just kept my head down and kept working, and now we’re here. So, I’m thankful for that.”

The Falcons gave Harris a one-year contract worth up to $3 million during free agency, a prove-it deal by nature.

Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said during OTAs the team would rotate different linebackers to find the right combination next to Divine Deablo with hopes of getting “a real evaluation over the course of this offseason program.” But there wasn’t much of a rotation on the first-team defense.

The team hasn’t committed to Harris as a starter, but he spent all of OTAs and mandatory minicamp alongside Deablo.

Harris said he feels comfortable playing next to Deablo. They’re emphasizing communication and want to speak the same language, so they’re prepared to bark out signals and arrange the rest of the defense this fall.

But it’s also an important part of Harris’ journey to cementing his spot in the starting lineup. Learning the system, learning the language and leading his teammates are core components to winning the job, and he understands he’s not simply walking into a spot on the first-team defense.

“You got to earn it at the end of the day,” Harris said. “Can’t just come in and expect this to be given to you.”

The Falcons have several candidates to start at linebacker in the aftermath of losing Kaden Elliss to the New Orleans Saints in free agency. They signed Harris and fellow fifth-year pro Channing Tindall, drafted Kendal Daniels in the fourth round and Harold Perkins Jr. in the sixth, and brought back JD Bertrand and Troy Andersen.

Elliss wore several unique hats on the Falcons’ defense, filling a role defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said he’s never seen firsthand. Harris watched film of Elliss’ role from last season and identified certain positions he’s been in previously.

Harris is familiar with playing off-ball and working in space. But the prevalence with which Elliss played on the line of scrimmage is a bit of a foreign concept for Harris, who didn’t spend much time there with the Texans or in college at Alabama and now gets a chance to prove he’s more versatile than he’s shown in the past.

“There’s more multiplicity here, something that I might be living in more,” Harris said. “You’ve seen a lot of Kaden Elliss last year. So, just trying to get me grown for that role.”

But the Falcons won’t necessarily be reinventing the wheel for Harris, who’s an easy projection into their defense.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans shares several similarities to Ulbrich — both played linebacker in the NFL for a decade, which helps them speak a similar language and see things better through Harris’ viewpoint.

Schematically, Falcons linebackers coach Barrett Ruud said the team has a like-minded defense to the Texans, which aided with the evaluation of Harris.

“It makes scouting a lot easier because he’s executed the same techniques we’re asking him to execute now,” Ruud told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution during OTAs. “So, we know he’s done it in the past. He’s put it on tape.”

Harris still rues the way his time ended in Houston. He feels he started off pretty well before injuries “messed up a lot on the back end.” All told, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native enjoyed his stint with the Texans.

But he’s optimistic his chapter with the Falcons — no matter how long it lasts — can serve as a springboard to getting his career back on track.

“Business is business,” Harris said. “Really looking forward to getting started with this new team right now and just building up on that, developing on that, continuing to do what I know I can do.

“I came in the league making plays, so I don’t expect to do anything different than I was doing there.”

The Falcons are banking on a change of scenery proving beneficial for the 25-year-old Harris, who’s still plenty young enough to carve out a long-term role if performance follows.

“Sometimes a fresh start is great for guys,” Ruud said. “I think it’s really cool for him that he’s got a fresh start, and from the jump now, he’s come in and done a nice job.”

Developing chemistry has been a focal point for Harris, who took a weekend fishing trip in May on Lake Lanier with a half-dozen teammates as one of several camaraderie-building experiences.

But for the Falcons, no relationship is more important to Harris than with Deablo. Provided summer trends translate to the regular season, they’ll be the two signal callers defensively. Finding alignment and being able to communicate effectively is crucial.

So far, so good.

“He’s a very smart guy,” Deablo said during OTAs. “He’s always coming to me, making sure we’re on the same page. We’re talking before the play, he lets me know when he’s going to hit a gap so I can overlap him. He’s a great talker, and I appreciate that. He’s great.”

Harris wasn’t used to watching games from the sidelines. He won back-to-back state championships to close his high school career, was a freshman All-American and three-year starter at Alabama, and started as a rookie for the Texans.

Last year, as challenging as it was, provided a reset. New year, new team, new opportunity.

Now, Harris is starting his Falcons tenure with a mission: Earn the right to get on the field and “show people what I can do.” By all accounts, he’s off to a strong start.

“He’s worked hard,” Ruud said. “He’s had a great approach. Blended right in with the guys, and I’ve been happy with him so far.”