Von Miller

AFC Notes: Broncos, Pats, Von, Steelers, Jets

July 7th, 2016 at 4:11pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Mike Klis of 9News obtained a report from a non-Broncos scout who observed linebacker Von Miller nine times last season and concluded that the 27-year-old is a “Hall of Fame-caliber performer.’’ Meanwhile, former Patriots general counsel/player personnel Jack Musa told Klis that the Pats – who are known for preemptively cutting bait on stars – would shop Miller if they were in a similar situation as Denver is now.

“I’m not saying not signing Von Miller is the wrong thing to do. I’m not saying that at all,” said Musa, who was with the Patriots for a decade. “But if you don’t and you’ve moved on from him, you certainly get something from him. You don’t have him sitting out a year and improving his own negotiating leverage – that’s not something we ever experienced in New England but that’s a very real possibility in Denver.’’

The Broncos and Miller are currently in a contract-related showdown, one which they’re running out of time to resolve. If the reigning Super Bowl champions and the franchise-tagged superstar don’t reach an agreement on a long-term deal by July 15 at 4 p.m. ET, they won’t be able to negotiate again until the offseason. That would leave Miller with two options: 1. Continue sitting out in lieu of signing the franchise tender. 2. Sign it and make in the $14MM neighborhood to play this year. If Miller opts for the first choice, the Broncos wouldn’t have the ability to slap the exclusive franchise tag on him next offseason, though they could give him the non-exclusive version. However, the compensation from a team that signs Miller to an offer sheet would decrease in value by a substantial amount, going from two first-round picks to a first- and third-round selection. The Broncos hit Miller with the exclusive designation this year to stop him from trying to hammer out an accord with another team.

Elsewhere around the AFC…

The Browns picked up quarterback Robert Griffin III in free agency and ex-Baylor receiver Corey Coleman via the first round of the draft, but they’re nonetheless “going to be a run-oriented football team,” run game coordinator Kirby Wilson told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. As Roster Resource shows, the Browns’ top two rushers from last season – Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson – remain in the equation, and three former undrafted free agents trail behind them. Given that trio’s lack of pedigree and the fact that neither Crowell nor Johnson eclipsed 3.8 yards per carry last season, it’s not exactly the most promising group on paper. Johnson, to his credit, caught 61 passes as a rookie, leading Wilson to call the 2015 third-rounder from Miami “an ultimate weapon.”
The five-year, $41.9MM deal – including $8.5MM guaranteed – all-world wide receiver Antonio Brown signed in 2012 is the most team-friendly contract the Steelers have, argues Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. Brown was behind Mike Wallace on the Steelers’ wideout pecking order at the time, but the former has since combined for a stunning 375 receptions, 5,031 yards and 31 touchdowns going back to 2013. Although Pittsburgh took a risk at the time, it now has the biggest veteran bargain in the league, Fitzgerald opines. Conversely, linebacker Lawrence Timmons‘ contract (five years, $47.8MM, $11MM guaranteed) is the Steelers’ worst. While Fitzgerald doesn’t have a problem with the value, he’s critical of the way the Steelers have handled the pact. The club has restructured it three times in a four-year span, effectively guaranteeing four of its five seasons and leaving Timmons without an incentive to accept an extension and lower his cap number – which is the most among inside linebackers this season by over $5MM.
Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey could have a harder time dividing touches between his top two running backs this year than he did in 2015, posits Brian Costello of the New York Post. Last season’s Jets prominently featured the duo of bruiser Chris Ivory and dual-threat option Bilal Powell, but the former is now in Jacksonville. The Jets replaced him with Matt Forte, who – like Powell – can do damage both as a rusher and pass catcher. Regardless, Costello argues that New York has a valuable player on its hands in the 27-year-old Powell, without whom it went 1-4 in 2015. As a result of his 11-game, 701-total yard, 47-catch season, the Jets re-signed Powell to a three-year, $11.25MM deal with $6MM in guarantees over the winter. Forte landed a somewhat similar contract at three years, $12MM and $8MM guaranteed.

AFC West Notes: Bolts, Raiders, Broncos, Von

July 7th, 2016 at 11:45am CST by Connor J. Byrne

Even if the Chargers only need 50 percent – not 66.6 percent – of voters to approve public funding for a new stadium, they still could have a difficult time garnering enough support, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Chargers stadium advisor Fred Maas claims that San Diego residents who don’t live in a hotel “won’t pay a dime” to keep the team there, but Florio is skeptical, pointing out that money coming from a hotel tax could have other public uses instead. Further, those who vote no would be doing so because they don’t want any part of helping subsidize the NFL – a $13 billion-per-year industry – Florio adds.

Here’s more from the AFC West:

The city of Oakland is taking bids for a new stadium, reports Zennie Abraham (Twitter link via Jason Cole of Bleacher Report). The Raiders – who are angling for Las Vegas relocation – find Oakland’s action odd because the city’s taking bids without having discussed anything with the team, per Abraham.
Former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning expressed optimism Wednesday about the contract standoff between the club and franchise-tagged linebacker Von Miller, telling TMZ, “I think Von will re-sign, and I do not see that being a problem at all” (link via Joe Nguyen of the Denver Post). With next Friday serving as the deadline for franchise players to sign long-term deals, time is running out on the Broncos and Miller. General manager John Elway and the reigning Super Bowl MVP restarted talks over the weekend, though, so it appears they’re moving in the right direction.
If the impasse between the Broncos and Miller continues, ESPN’s Ed Werder wonders (via Twitter) if Elway would trade the 27-year-old.
Speaking of Denver stars who lack long-term security, we found out earlier Thursday that contract negotiations between the Elway-led franchise and wideout Emmanuel Sanders are on hold.

John Elway, Von Miller Resume Talks

July 5th, 2016 at 4:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Earlier today, news emerged that the Broncos and Von Miller broke their silence recently. The conversation was evidently somewhat substantive, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reporting John Elway called the franchise-tagged linebacker in an attempt to break the ice.

Sources informed Schefter the Broncos are ready to get a deal done with Miller after an acrimonious offseason impasse. Elway spoke with Miller for around 10 or 15 minutes over the weekend on a call some said needed to be made, per Schefter, as the deadline to sign franchise-tagged performers looms in 10 days.

While making it clear to Miller the Broncos still regard re-signing him as a high priority, Elway reportedly informed the reigning Super Bowl MVP he will reach out to his agents this week in an effort to accelerate talks and secure a long-term deal.

Miller and the Broncos previously ceased communication after the sides could not agree on total guaranteed money last month. Denver offered its 2011 first-round pick a six-year, $114.5MM deal that satisfied Miller in terms of contract length and total value while falling short of his expectations for guaranteed money. The previous proposal contained $39.8MM in fully guaranteed money, a sum that falls short of Marcell Dareus‘ 2015 extension with the Bills. The offer, one the Broncos technically rescinded after Miller declined it, also did not provide Miller with as much guaranteed money within the first nine months as the Eagles included in Fletcher Cox‘s extension.

The overall parameters of the deal that could well stand as what Miller signs by next Friday in the event the parties agree would make him the highest-paid defender in league history, slightly surpassing Ndamukong Suh‘s 2015 Dolphins accord. Suh received $59.5MM fully guaranteed at signing, however, a number Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reported the Broncos are not up to at this point.

Elway also participated in a conference call with one of Miller’s agents, Joby Branion, over the weekend, according to Mike Klis of 9News. Elway has signed each of the three players the Broncos have tagged under his watch — Matt Prater (2012), Ryan Clady (2013) and Demaryius Thomas (2015) — and looks to be honing in on a potential final act of the Miller negotiations.

As it stands now, Miller has yet to sign the $14.26MM exclusive franchise tender and remains steadfast in his threat to sit out the season and enter 2017 without the possibility of being exclusively tagged next spring. Miller remains the Broncos’ most important player, which serves as his leverage in this standoff, and one that’s claimed two first-team All-Pro honors during a five-year career that’s included 60 sacks.

Cole’s Latest: Bolts, Von, Supplemental Draft

July 5th, 2016 at 1:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The California State Supreme Court’s decision last week to review a lower court’s ruling that stated merely a simple majority was necessary to approve a downtown San Diego stadium measure rather than the traditional two-thirds majority dealt a blow to the Chargers‘ aspirations in their city. Enough so that the franchise is once again considering Los Angeles, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report notes (video link).

With the team not expecting a two-thirds majority to approve public funds to be put toward a new Chargers downtown stadium, they are reconsidering the league’s Los Angeles offer. But they’re not immediately keen on sharing a stadium with the Rams in Inglewood. Rather, the Chargers are revisiting the City of Industry site — a 600-acre locale eventually discarded in favor of the Inglewood and Carson projects during the three-pronged Los Angeles pursuit — due to its Eastern Los Angeles County location (22 miles from downtown L.A.) being viewed within the organization as a better way to attract fans from Orange County and the Inland Empire region of L.A., Cole reports.

The Chargers do not believe their downtown San Diego stadium measure can pass at a 66.6% requirement and do not want to continue playing at the Mission Valley site that’s been their home since initially moving from Los Angeles in 1961. They reached a deal in principle to join the Rams in Inglewood but used that as leverage against San Diego earlier this year. Those prospects are fleeting right now, however, bringing the dormant Chargers-to-L.A. talk back to the forefront.

Here’s more from Cole, beginning with the latest coming out of Denver.

The Broncos could soon present Von Miller with a new offer, Cole hears (video link), after they reached out to him last week. But if that offer does not contain $60MM in guaranteed money, Miller will reportedly not sign. Denver has until July 15 to reach a deal with Miller and hopes to avoid the prospect of the All-Pro linebacker sitting out the season. Although such a prospect seems extreme considering how much Miller would stand to lose by doing so, Cole notes that is still his position if the sides cannot agree on terms.
NFL GMs who spoke to Cole (video link) expect Purdue defensive tackle Ra’Zahn Howard to be selected in the supplemental draft, which is set for July 14. However, two GMs who discussed these prospects with Cole do not anticipate any of the other five players whose names are in the supplemental pool to be taken. Howard, though, is expected to be chosen between the fifth and seventh round, with the drafting team forfeiting that pick in the 2017 draft by doing so.

AFC West Rumors: Miller, Chargers, Raiders

July 5th, 2016 at 11:13am CST by Sam Robinson

Von Miller and the Broncos have resumed talks as the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term extensions looms in 10 days. The sides communicated during the past few days, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter) after previously breaking off talks.

Caplan wouldn’t be surprised if Miller and Broncos to continue their talks this week (Twitter link) but said during a SportsCenter appearance the gulf on guaranteed money remains, even if the parties have agreed on the length (six years) and total value ($114.5MM) of a potential deal.

The Broncos rescinded their six-year, $114.5MM offer early last month after Miller declined it due to a lack of guaranteed money at signing, a figure which sat at $39.8MM last we heard. The 27-year-old pass-rusher has threatened to hold out, refusing to play 2016 on the $14.26MM exclusive franchise tag.

Here’s the latest from the rest of the AFC West.

Loosely connected to Las Vegas in light of a California State Supreme Court decision last week weakening their downtown San Diego stadium measure’s chances of passing, the Chargers are not believed to be an option for Vegas at this time, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets. The Bolts’ choices look like a murky San Diego future or sharing a stadium with the Rams in Los Angeles if those talks fall through.
The Raiders remain strongly tied to Vegas, and news on the Oakland front has been scant to this point. However, Bonsignore tweets Mark Davis has talked with a developmental group led by Ronnie Lott that’s attempting a last-ditch stadium solution in the Bay Area. The Los Angeles-based reporter, though, notes such discussions look superfluous since they don’t solve the issues the team is having with the city and county.
On the field, the Raiders look to present a more diverse pass rush than what they deployed last season. Bruce Irvin‘s signing gives Khalil Mack a complementary presence, and an NFC scouting director told TheMMQB.com’s Albert Breer the best course of action for the Raiders is to move Irvin into a primary pass-rushing role at defensive end much like they did Mack in 2015. “His most productive NFL season came as a rookie, when he rushed from a three-point stance. Playing opposite Khalil Mack, he’d see a lot of one-on-one matchups he can win [if they use him as an end].” The Raiders use a hybrid 4-3/3-4 scheme, and Breer adds the suspicion is that DC Ken Norton — familiar with Irvin after serving as the Seahawks’ linebackers coach from 2010-14 — will transition the free agent acquisition to being predominantly a defensive end. Irvin registered a career-high eight sacks in 2012.
Eric Fisher viewed the Chiefs’ win against the Texans in last year’s wild card round, one that featured him win the battle against an ailing J.J. Watt, as a bit of a turning point in his career.

AFC Notes: Jets, Dolphins, Chiefs, Broncos

July 4th, 2016 at 1:05pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

On the heels of his six-interception 2015 campaign, third-year cornerback Marcus Williams could be the Jets’ most underrated player, opines Brian Costello of the New York Post. The former undrafted free agent from North Dakota State and ex-Texans practice squad member showed off impressive ball-hawking prowess last season despite serving as a fourth corner and playing just 27 percent of the Jets’ defensive snaps, and he’ll spend the next couple months battling Buster Skrine for a starting job opposite Darrelle Revis. As a contract-year player, Williams stands to earn a significant raise over his $600K salary by next offseason if he proves capable of filling a bigger role – whether as a starter or slot corner – in 2016.

Elsewhere in the AFC…

There’s a chance Dallas Thomas will beat out first-round pick Laremy Tunsil as the Dolphins’ starting left guard, which would be a nightmare for the team’s fans, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Thomas – whom Pro Football Focus ranked as the league’s second-worst guard among 81 qualifiers last season – seems to be ahead of Tunsil in the pecking order after the rookie struggled in minicamp, per Jackson. Tunsil, the 13th overall pick, was a dominant left tackle at Ole Miss and acknowledged that it’s not easy to learn a new position and playbook.
Chiefs offensive tackle Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2013 draft, sees himself “on a steady incline” after transitioning back to the left side midway through last season, he told BJ Kissel of the team’s website. Fisher, whose pro career hasn’t lived up to his draft status, added that his impressive performance against the J.J. Watt-led Texans in the Chiefs’ 30-0 wild-card round victory “almost seemed like a little bit of a turning point in my career.” Having picked up Fisher’s $11.902 fifth-year option for 2017 in early May, the Chiefs are also clearly encouraged by the progress he made last season. That option is guaranteed for injury only, though, so if Fisher stays healthy and fares poorly this year, Kansas City will have the opportunity to reverse course.
Broncos general manager John Elway‘s competitiveness could be a roadblock in the way of a Von Miller deal, according to Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post. Kiszla wonders if the Hall of Fame quarterback can put aside his hatred of losing to reach a compromise with Miller, the franchise-tagged linebacker who’s fighting with the Broncos over the lack of guaranteed money in their six-year, $114.5MM offer. The two sides have until July 15 to reach an agreement; if that doesn’t happen, the reigning Super Bowl MVP’s only choices would be to sign the $14MM-plus franchise tender or continue sitting out.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Colts, Browns, Steelers

July 1st, 2016 at 5:23pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Broncos management is at risk of sending the wrong message to the team’s players if it doesn’t reach a long-term deal with disgruntled franchise linebacker Von Miller by the July 15 deadline, opines Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Denver’s standoff with Miller comes a year after it reduced then-quarterback Peyton Manning‘s salary by $4MM, writes Legwold, who notes that the Broncos’ willingness to play hardball with their biggest stars isn’t lost on their other players. However, as Legwold points out, the Broncos are the reigning Super Bowl champions, winners of five straight AFC West titles and have managed the salary cap well, so they’re clearly operating in a competent manner.

More from Denver and a few other AFC cities:

Quarterback Andrew Luck‘s record-setting contract won’t have an adverse effect on the Colts’ salary cap, argues Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Among Holder’s reasons: The cap, which has gone up $22MM since 2014, is likely to continue rising; as evidenced by the deals given to Luck, left tackle Anthony Castonzo, No. 1 receiver T.Y. Hilton and tight end Dwayne Allen since last summer, the Colts are now emphasizing drafting, developing and keeping their own instead of relying on free agency; and Luck helped the Colts by agreeing to a team-friendly pact that will pay him just over $23MM per year, not the $25MM annual amount many predicted.
Miami traded fourth-year cornerback Jamar Taylor Cleveland earlier this offseason, and the former second-round pick is excited for a new beginning with the Browns. “It’s definitely a fresh start for me. For what I went through in Miami, it’s all over. This is a great group of people here, a great organization, a great staff,” Taylor told Patrick Maks of ClevelandBrowns.com. “Nobody knows me, I know nobody. It’s just really new for me. It’s definitely a fresh start, but it’s a fresh start for everybody. None of the coaches really know a lot of these guys so everybody knows they just have to go put it on tape. You are who you put on tape and you are who you are around your teammates.”
Although Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette doesn’t necessarily doubt ex-Guyer Institute pharmacist Charlie Sly’s allegations regarding performance-enhancing drugs in the NFL, the writer blasts commissioner Roger Goodell over the league’s desire to interview the Steelers’ James Harrison concerning PEDs. The 38-year-old linebacker was among several players Sly accused of receiving PEDs and-or painkillers from Guyer Institute in a 2015 Al Jazeera documentary. Sly has since recanted his claims, however, and with that in mind, Starkey doesn’t see the credible evidence necessary to pursue an interview with Harrison. The NFL Players Association echoed a similar sentiment in a letter to the league earlier this week, and Harrison took to social media to express the limited terms under which he’d agree to an interview.
Texans minority owner Philip Burguieres has passed away, reports Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston (via Twitter). Owner Bob McNair paid tribute to Burguieres in a statement: “As most of you know, Philip worked tirelessly with me to bring an NFL franchise back to Houston in the late 1990s. He was instrumental to the success of the Texans, serving as Vice Chairman until 2012. Philip also was involved in the McNair Group investment activities. He was a longtime friend of mine and a mentor to many and will be greatly missed.”
Broncos safety Shiloh Keo could be subject to league discipline after pleading guilty Friday to a misdemeanor charge for driving under the influence in February, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Keo, who joined the Broncos last December, re-signed with the team on a one-year deal in April.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Von, Int’l, Steelers, Manziel

June 29th, 2016 at 8:38pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The $87MM in guarantees on Andrew Luck‘s new contract should help franchise-tagged Broncos linebacker Von Miller in his quest to land a long-term accord, tweets Mark Dominik of ESPN. Although the Broncos and Miller only have until July 15 to reach a deal, they had ceased discussions as of last Friday. Miller – the reigning Super Bowl MVP – rejected a six-year, $114.5MM offer from the Broncos because it featured $39.8MM in guarantees, an amount the four-time Pro Bowler deemed unsatisfactory. If the two sides don’t find common ground and strike an agreement in the next two-plus weeks, Miller’s options would be to sign his $14.129MM franchise tender and play 2016 under it or sit out the season.

Community Tailgate: Von Vs. Alshon

June 25th, 2016 at 6:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Nine NFL players were assigned the franchise tag during the 2016 offseason. Here’s a brief rundown, along with each player’s franchise salary:

Franchise players (exclusive):

Von Miller, LB (Broncos): $14.129MM

Franchise players (non-exclusive):

Eric Berry, S (Chiefs): $10.806MM
Kirk Cousins, QB (Washington): $19.953MM
Cordy Glenn, T (Bills): $13.706MM
Alshon Jeffery, WR (Bears): $14.599MM
Trumaine Johnson, CB (Rams): $13.952MM
Josh Norman, CB (Panthers): $13.952MM
Muhammad Wilkerson, DE (Jets): $15.701MM
Justin Tucker, K (Ravens): $4.572MM

Some of the players listed above have already had their respective situations resolved. Cordy Glenn agreed to long-term extension with the Bills, while Carolina ultimately rescinded Josh Norman‘s franchise tag, allowing him to sign a deal with the Redskins. And while Eric Berry hasn’t yet inked an extension with Kansas City, the most recent reports indicate that the star safety is expected to sign a new contract at some point before the July 15 deadline. The same goes for kicker Justin Tucker, who has signed his signed his franchise tag — he’s confident that he and the Ravens will hammer out a deal in the near future.

A third of the list falls into a separate category — franchise-tagged players who haven’t yet agreed to an extension, and don’t seem likely to any time soon. Kirk Cousins signed his franchise tender almost immediately, locking him into a guaranteed salary of nearly $20MM, but Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reported yesterday that talks are “going nowhere,” and both Cousins and Washington expect the signal-caller to play out the season on the tag. Like Cousins, Trumaine Johnson also signed his tender rather quickly, and isn’t expected to reach a new deal with Los Angeles in the next twenty days. On the flip side, Muhammad Wilkerson has not signed his tender, but there’s been no indication that he and the Jets are anywhere close to a new contract.

That leaves us with two remaining franchise players, and the pair — Von Miller and Alshon Jeffery — might be the dominant NFL storylines over the next few weeks. Any recent reader of PFR knows that Miller has garnered a copious amount of headlines as his negotiations with Denver drag on. Miller reportedly rejected a six-year deal worth about $114.5MM (specific guarantees and structure unknown), and then threatened a season-long holdout. Just yesterday, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reported that the two sides had not talked contract terms since the early part of June.

Reports surrounding Jeffery have been much fewer and far between, and that could be because the Bears wide receiver has already signed his tender, meaning he’ll be with the Bears — and earning a hefty salary — no matter what happens over the next few weeks. But what little news has come about Jeffery’s negotiations has been murky. An early June report indicated that Jeffery was unlikely to reach an extension with Chicago, but just days ago Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com said the two sides were still discussing terms, noting that a new deal is “certainly possible.”

The question at hand, then, is this: who is more likely to sign a long-term deal, Miller or Jeffery? Certainly talks between Jeffery and the Bears have been more amicable, but more is arguably at stake for Miller and the Broncos. Trying to defend a Super Bowl title, Denver can’t afford to have its most talented player not present, while Chicago doesn’t have to worry about Jeffery not showing up. Still, with negotiations between Miller and the Broncos seemingly turning acrimonious, is there any hope of an extension?

What do you think? Which superstar is more likely to be with their respective team for the long haul? Is it possible that both Miller and Jeffery ink new contracts? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Broncos, Von Miller

June 24th, 2016 at 3:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Von Miller went dancing with the stars, but will he be running with the Broncos in 2016? Right now, it doesn’t sound like much progress has been made in contract talks between the two sides. Miller and the Broncos have not engaged in contract negotiations since early June, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Early June was right around the time when Miller turned down a six-year, $114.5MM deal from Denver. In theory, the total value of that deal would have edged out the free agent contract signed by Ndamukong Suh, but Miller’s camp balked at the cash flow of the deal and the relatively paltry $39.8MM guaranteed in the first two years. The Broncos were said to have pulled the offer from Miller (which doesn’t mean much) while the outside linebacker claims that he will hold out if he does not get a suitable offer rather than play under the $14MM+ one-year franchise tender.

If Miller opts to sit out the 2016 season, the Broncos will only be able to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on him and will not have the exclusive franchise tag at their disposal. Furthermore, because of the holdout, the compensation for a team signing Miller would drop from two first-round picks to a first and a third. No team is eager to surrender a first- and third-round pick, of course, but that’s an easier pill to swallow and a price that at least a few teams should be willing to pay.

In a Twitter poll on Thursday, 31% of PFR readers said that Miller would be the first of four high-profile franchise-tagged players to sign a long term deal. Chiefs safety Eric Berry (29%) was a close second, followed by Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (20% each).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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