The Broncos need to move on from Von Miller
Mar 5, 2021, 6:45 AM | Updated: 7:30 am
It’s going to be hard for some in Broncos Country to understand, but it’s time for Denver to move on from Von Miller.
Let’s face the facts. The Broncos are not making the playoffs next season. And newly hired general manager George Paton has to realize this roster is nowhere close to a return to the postseason, and he needs all the resources available to rebuild this team.
Denver sits in a good spot in terms of salary cap space, projecting to be in the top five in the NFL at the moment with just more than $43 million to spend. If Denver released Miller by the start of free agency on March 17, the club would save an additional $18 million, which would definitely help in rebuilding this roster.
Miller is coming off a season-ending injury last year and is past the 3o-year-old mark. And he wasn’t effectively productive either when he last played a full season in 2019, totalling just eight sacks in 15 starts.
The Broncos will likely attempt to restructure Miller’s contract this offseason, which would lower his cap number. The issue is Denver hasn’t been winning with him since the legendary Super Bowl 50 defense broke up.
So what’s the point of keeping him around?
Miller doesn’t have much trade value anymore, as it’s unlikely another team would take on his current contract. Denver would be lucky to get a fourth-round pick for him. The Broncos should have traded Miller two years ago when his value was still high.
Rebuilding this roster is the main focus for Paton, and he’ll begin by doing that in free agency. And an additional $18 million from releasing Miller wouldn’t just be helping Denver this offseason but also next.
With the salary cap going down this year to roughly $180 million, more teams are going to be releasing valuable players with high cap numbers. Many around the NFL also believe there will be a lot of one-year deals for players this free agency period with the cap so low but ticking back up in 2022.
That’s where Miller’s $18 million helps Denver the most. Paton can roll that money into 2022 and go after the big name free agents then instead of this offseason. That’s when the Broncos can make a bigger leap closer to the playoffs.
After the 2021 season, there will likely be a change at head coach, as well as the coordinator positions, for the Broncos. That’s when Paton will be making the splashy moves to improve this team. And he’ll need as much money as possible, along with high draft picks.
Paton can find another impactful pass rusher who will give you the same value as Miller but at a much younger age. Heck, he could even wind up being cheaper.
Releasing the former Super Bowl MVP would mean resetting the culture around Dove Valley, and that’s exactly what this organization needs. It’s time to move away from the connections to that 2015 team and start fresh.
Under former general manager John Elway, the Broncos became the only franchise in NFL history to win a Super Bowl and miss the playoffs for five straight years after.
Things have to change, starting with Von Miller.
