DENVER — Von Miller, the greatest pass rusher in Broncos history who all but single-handedly delivered Super Bowl 50 to the Denver franchise, has been traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for second- and third-round selections in the 2022 draft.
It’s impressive compensation considering Miller is 32, has not had a sack in the Broncos’ previous four games, and his contract expires after this season. The Broncos are paying $9 million of the roughly $10.5 million remaining on the final year of his contract in 2021. The deal will not become official until Tuesday as Miller must first pass a physical -- he is currently dealing with a sprained ankle that is not expected to hold up the deal -- and some minor restructuring of his contract must be completed so it can fit under the Rams' salary cap, according to sources.
“It’s all kind of numb,'' Miller told reporters via the Associated Press, as he left Broncos' headquarters Monday around noon. "It just happened and I’m on my way to L.A.”
Miller was the Broncos’ first-round draft pick, No. 2 overall, in 2011, the first ever draft pick by then general manager John Elway. Miller won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, then recorded a career-most 18.5 sacks in his second season of 2012. He encountered self-inflicted adversity in 2013 when he was suspended for six games for violating the NFL’s drug policy, and later suffered a season-ending torn ACL injury.
He returned to have 14.0 sacks in 2014, then exploded in the postseason of 2015, getting 2.5 sacks on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game and 2.5 more sacks, with two forced fumbles that led to touchdowns, in the Super Bowl win against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.
Miller was named MVP of Super Bowl 50.
“Always have Super Bowl 50,'' Miller said. "Seen the pictures on my way out. Made me tear up.”
> Video below: Von Miller talks about being traded to Rams:
His performance in 2015 led to intense, and sometimes acrimonious contract negotiations between Elway and Miller's agent Joby Branion before cooler minds prevailed and the outside linebacker wound up with a six-year, $114.5 million deal -- $19.083 million per year -- that made him the NFL's highest-paid defensive player.
But while Miller lived up to the first three years of that contract with 13.5 sacks in 2016, 10.0 sacks in 2017 and 14.5 sacks in 2018, he never got a chance to repeat as Super Bowl MVP as the Broncos entered this season trying to snap a five-year playoff drought.
Miller fell off to 8.0 sacks in 2019 then missed all of last season after suffering a torn ankle tendon in the first practice of the regular season.
The Broncos in March tried to cut his 2021 salary in half from his scheduled $18 million (later bumped to $19.03 million because of the league's added 17th game). Miller wouldn't accept it. Rather than release Miller, the Broncos decided to keep him at his current rate.
While 9NEWS reported on the possibility of Miller trade since last Sunday, and Miller was aware in recent days a trade was possible, he was not informed of his trade to the Rams until Paton called him Monday morning.
“It was a surprise,'' he said. "You see the stuff every year in the media, the last four years you’ve seen it. You never know. It’s hard to grip with reality sometimes.
"This team, they’re going to start winning soon. Got a lot of great players, lot of great coaches here. The staff is amazing. I wanted to be a part of it to fix it. You just got to keep moving.”
Miller had 4.0 sacks through the Broncos' first three games this season -- all wins -- but after recording a half-sack against Baltimore's Lamar Jackson in game 4, he has gone sackless in the the past four games.
Miller suffered an ankle injury in the first half of last Thursday's game at Cleveland and did not play Sunday against Washington. Even if he had not been on the trading block, Miller most likely would not have been able to play as he wasn't able to practice last week.
Miller finishes with a team-record 110.5 sacks in his 10 ½ seasons with the Broncos. Only cornerback Champ Bailey, a first-ballot member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and possibly Orange Crush linebacker Randy Gradishar are in the conversation with Miller as the greatest defensive player in Broncos' history.
Von Miller: Super Bowl 50 MVP
The Broncos are 4-4 but it’s become obvious the team is a long way from Super Bowl contention and general manager George Paton wanted to make sure he started adding value for the future. Paton also made sure the Broncos could stay competitive this year, acquiring outside linebacker Stephen Weatherly nine days ago from Minnesota (Weatherly had a sack in his first game for the Broncos on Sunday) and knowing another pass rusher, Bradley Chubb, is due back from ankle surgery after the week 11 bye.
“Had a lot of beautiful years here,'' Miller said. "Had a lot of great memories here, a lot of great teammates. A lot of great coaches, lot of great fans. I’ll never forget all those people.”
RELATED: Broncos notes: Von Miller not active
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