2021 Broncos' Season, Off-Season Questions, Von Miller

 


For the Broncos, the off-season is here. George Paton was hired to serve as GM and Vic Fangio is staying as coach, but there are plenty of other questions to answer. As we head into the off-season, I'll be considering these topics each week.

This week, I'm starting with the biggest question, Von Miller. Miller is a great player. He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft, the first selection made by John Elway. He was the MVP of Super Bowl 50, and if you're a regular reader of this spot you know he was among my Top 5 favorite Broncos' players of all time. I love Von Miller as a player and it's hard to imagine the Broncos without him. And yet, sometimes you have to be realistic.

Miller is coming off a 2020 season in which an injury just before it began took him off the board entirely. He's going to be 32-years-old before the season starts and his Salary Cap number is $22.5 million if he plays, including $17.5 million in base salary, and a hit of $4.225 million if he's released. In a league year that could well see a slight reduction of the salary cap with plenty of roster questions, every dollar matters.

Miller has been an great player for the Broncos, and one of the best in the NFL. That includes producing 106 sacks since he arrived in Denver. One of the exciting parts of bringing in Fangio as coach was the prospect of seeing what he could do with Von Miller on one side and Bradley Chubb on the other. That's a reality we haven't really seen in his two years in Denver. Chubb was injured early in the 2019 season, and didn't return. And as Chubb returned in 2020, Miller was injured. So, if both are back in 2021, it could finally be a chance to see them in action for Fangio.

There are other issues to consider. The Broncos only have five players listed as linebackers under contract for 2021, including Miller, Chubb, Malik Reed, Josey Jewell, and Justin Strnad. Second-year player Derek Tuszka is listed at DE but could be an OLB. Either way, that's not many players at a position crucial to Denver's defense.

Another factor will be the potential legal trouble for Miller. He's currently being investigated by police on suspicion of domestic violence, and the outcome of that could have ramifications for his availability in 2021 regardless of what team holds Miller's contract. That's yet another wrinkle in the biggest question facing Paton as he settles into his new role.

I would like to see Miller back, and I would hate to see him playing for another team. I think he still has good football left and can be a key, veteran contributor to a defense that is getting younger. But it has to work in the larger picture. Miller could be the first domino, but if it's not followed by what seems like a well-reasoned plan, it could be the first blunder for Paton.

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