Broncos nose tackle Shelby Harris was all smiles after clinching victory Sunday against the Steelers with a fourth-quarter interception in the end zone.

Go back about two years, though, and it didn’t appear Harris had a future in Denver.

“My first spring here, when I watched Shelby workout, I told (defensive line coach Bill) Kollar, ‘He’s got about a week before we cut him,'” coach Vance Joseph said. “He was that bad.”

Harris, a former Illinois State star, was drafted by Oakland in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft. He bounced between the Raiders’ active roster and practice squad several times before landing with the Jets, Cowboys, and last season, with the Broncos. Harris eventually turned that first impression in Denver and started six games in 2017 with career-highs in tackles (34.5) and sacks (5.5).

Harris, now through 11 appearances this season, has totaled 25 tackles, six quarterback hits and a half-sack.

“I guess the light came on and the guy has been playing really good football for a year-and-a-half,” Joseph said. “He’s considered a starter for us, rushing the passer, he stout, he plays nose (tackle), three technique and five technique. He’s a really good football player. I don’t know what happened that spring, what Bill did to him, but he was almost out of here.”

Punting improvement. The Broncos’ free-agent signing of Raiders punter Marquette King backfired by Week 6, but in his absence, Denver has discovered a new special teams weapon.

Colby Wadman, an undrafted rookie from UC-Davis, was signed to the practice in late November and debuted at the Jets. A shaky early start has since given way to impressive production.

Wadman has pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line three times over Denver’s consecutive victories and his first-down completion on a fake at the Chargers proved essential. Versus Pittsburgh, the hang times on his punts were 4.82, 4.52, 4.34, 4.69 and 4.12 seconds. And, Wadman’s 46-yard net average marked a season best.

“Colby has been a nice surprise for us,” Joseph said. “He had a slow start — he’s a rookie for the first time punting in this league – but the last few weeks he’s been definitely a weapon for us. He flipped the field three of four times (against the Steelers) and saved us big time.” Related Articles Broncos Briefs: Phillip Lindsay doubtful to play Sunday, but progressing from toe injury

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Turnover ratio. When they exited their bye in Week 10, the Broncos were tied for 17th in turnover ratio (even). But going plus-two against the Chargers and plus-four against the Steelers have propelled the Broncos to a tie for seventh.

The Broncos have 12 giveaways and 18 takeaways and are 3-1 when they win the turnover ratio.

Last year, the Broncos’ ratio of minus-17 (34 giveaways/17 takeaways) was second-worst in the NFL.

Footnotes. The Broncos converted only three of 11 third-down chances against Pittsburgh. The issue was needing too many yards to extend a drive. They needed at least four yards on each third-down chance, including four of at least 10 yards. … The Broncos defense allowed 75 yards rushing, allowing them to move from 27th to 24th. They were last after the Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.