Getty Former Denver Bronco Shannon Sharpe and John Elway, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Football Operation for the Denver Broncos, look on as Pat Bowlen is honored with an induction into the Broncos' Ring of Fame during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on November 1, 2015 in Denver, Colorado.
Von Miller is officially a Los Angeles Ram.
It may take some time for both he and Broncos Country to fully comprehend their separation from one another after 11 years with the franchise. Some Broncos fans may never forgive the organization for trading away its player of the decade — however there could be light at the end of the tunnel.
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Rodgers, Wilson or Watson at Mile High?
Former Broncos legend and Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, spoke positively about the trade in which Denver acquired a second and third round pick for the Super Bowl 50 MVP. They may have traded Miller away, but his salary, in effect, is staying at Englewood. The Broncos are picking up $9 million of Miller’s $9.7 million salary this season, and while on the surface it may seem dumbfounding, the decision seems rooted in logic. Sharpe, now co-starring on FS1’s Undisputed, pointed out the benefits of Denver picking up the tab, suggesting it could land them one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
“They bought a second round pick, because basically what they got for Von Miller was a third round pick,” Sharpe explained on Undisputed. “They’re paying [Von] nine million dollars, so basically you spent nine million on a second half pick. That’s a pretty good deal.
“They might be getting some ammo for, you know, there’s a guy in Houston (Deshaun Watson). The guy in Green Bay (Aaron Rodgers) might be available, the guy up in Seattle (Russell Wilson) might be available and the guy we know in Houston is available!”
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson hasn’t played a game for Houston all season. A desire to play elsewhere and pending lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct are both factors in his absence from the field. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers has continued to build on last year’s MVP season, throwing 17 with only three interceptions through eight weeks. Seattle’s Russell Wilson has had an interrupted year, though he has shone when healthy — tossing 10 touchdowns and one interception in five games.
The addition of any of the elite trident above would be a seismic update on Denver’s current quarterbacks; Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock.
Nick Wright: Great Trade for Broncos
FS1 sportscaster Nick Wright believes Denver will profit from the unpopular move off Miller. Naturally, Los Angeles will see the fruits of their labor earlier but Wright contends the Broncos made the right call given Miller’s impending free agent status.
“I love the trade for the Broncos,” Wright said on FS1’s First Things First. “The Broncos were going to lose Von Miller this offseason and get a compensatory pick, instead they trade him away and get a second and a third round pick. The Broncos management knew they weren’t winning anything this year, so this is a great trade for the Broncos longterm.”
Former No. 2 overall draft choice LaVar Arrington believes Denver’s favorite son will thrive in L.A., with the shackles set to be released given the presence of fellow All-Pro defender Aaron Donald.
“Von Miller is still a top 3, top 5 pass rushing threat in the National Football League,” Arrington said on First Things First. “You have basically added a triceratops to your defensive front, where if you’re triple-teaming Aaron Donald and still having issues, now you’re adding Von Miller, who in a one-on-one or double-team scenario is virtually unblockable just like Aaron Donald.”
Follow Patrick Djordjevic on Twitter: @Patdjordjevic