Von Miller gave Denver Broncos fans some good news during his trip to the White House on Monday to celebrate Super Bowl 50.
While he has yet to sign his $14.129 million franchise tag, Miller has had an amicable relationship with the Broncos the entire offseason. The two sides have until July 15 to get a long-term deal done. If that doesn’t happen, the franchise is the only option that would allow Miller to play in 2016.
Thankfully that doesn’t appear to be an issue.
https://twitter.com/MikeKlis/status/739924372492800004
Miller has said in the past he wants to become the highest-paid defender in the NFL, which is a challenging task for the cap-strapped Broncos.
Currently, Ndamukong Suh (just over $19 million per year) averages more than any defender in the league. It’s been reported in the past couple of months that Miller is aiming for $22 million per year. And any deal he does sign is going to include a boatload of guaranteed cash. The highest amount paid to a defender thus far is $60 million, which was hauled in by Marcel Dareus of the Buffalo Bills.
Any way you slice it, Miller is due for a massive contract, and he deserves one. With 60 sacks the past five seasons, which includes his suspension-shortened 2013 campaign, he’s one of the most impactful defenders in the NFL.
It’s going to be interesting to see how this all works out. The Broncos have said they do not want to make Miller the highest-paid defender in the league. Perhaps the franchise has decided it best to give Miller what he wants, rather than risk a holdout, which are always unwelcome.