ENGLEWOOD, Colorado – With a decision about the future of Von Miller approaching, Denver Broncos general manager George Paton said on Thursday that the team wants the linebacker back in 2021, but is waiting to hear more about possible legal issues Miller may have and has not ruled out a discussion about a cut in pay for him to return.
“We are still working on this with Von, his agent, and in relation to the legal process, we are just going to let the legal process unfold,” said Paton. “But it is obviously a serious situation, but we want to make that happen before we comment on it.”
Miller, an eight-time selection from the Pro Bowl and the MVP from the Super Bowl 50, has an option clause in his contract that if the Broncos caught him would guarantee $ 7 million of Miller’s $ 17.5 million base salary and commit to in the last year of a six-year period, $ 114.5 million deal that he signed in 2016.
The Broncos, like Miller, are still awaiting a decision by the district attorney in the 18th District Court in Denver’s suburbs to determine whether Miller will be charged following an investigation by the Parker, Colorado police department. Neither the police nor the public prosecutor’s office has released details of the specific charges Miller may face.
Miller did not respond to requests for comment. If the charges are brought, Miller could also face the possibility of league discipline.
Asked if Miller’s return could also depend on a cut in wages, Paton said:
“We want to bring Von back; we’re still working on it, I don’t want to go into everything, but we want to bring it back. Obviously, the legal process, what he’s going through, is a serious situation, obviously, and I don’t know all the details, but we respect what’s going on. We want Von back. “
Miller lost the entire 2020 season after an ankle injury a few days before the season opened. At the time, coach Vic Fangio said he expected Miller to be “quite a year”.
Miller’s eight sacks in 2019 were his lowest total since 2013, when he finished with five sacks after serving a six-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and suffering a tear in the ACL in December of that year.
Miller leads all active players who were in the NFL roster last season with 106 sacks.
Miller is the oldest player in the Broncos and was John Elway’s first choice as the team’s top football executive. Elway stepped down from his role as general manager earlier this year, before Paton was hired in January.
Other topics that Paton and Fangio covered on Thursday:
“[I] I did a deep dive with Drew … very talented, he was inconsistent at times, he has a lot to work on, but I talked to Drew … he really wants to be great, “said Paton.” We are always going to bring competition in every position, quarterback too, but I like the range that Drew is in … He has all the characteristics that you look for in a quarterback. “
“We will be aggressive, we will be in all agreements, it does not mean that we will make this agreement, but we will analyze everything, be it a defender or a defensive striker, anything to help our football team, we will chase him.”
Paton also said that he would not publicly discuss any quarterback in the squad of another team, such as Deshaun Watson, and that the Broncos would consider using choice # 9 in a quarterback’s draft “if you are the best player on the board, we will take you. “
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On rehiring safety Justin Simmons, who played as a franchise player last season and is about to be an unrestricted free agent, Paton said: “Justin is one of our main guys, and our goal since I arrived was to hire him to a long-term deal. We had good discussions with his agent. I don’t know if we are going to make a deal or not, but that is our goal. He is the type of person we would like to extend. “
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The return of the right tackle Ja’Wuan James, who gave up last season due to concerns about COVID-19.
Paton and Fangio said they spoke to James and that James was scheduled to return to the Denver area in the next few weeks to train.
Paton said the Broncos will offer three of its most prominent restricted free agents – running back Phillip Lindsay, wide receiver Tim Patrick and linebacker Alexander Johnson.
Paton added that he was already trying to re-sign the defensive side Shelby Harris, who will be an unrestricted free agent, and who spoke with Kareem Jackson’s security representatives. Jackson has an optional year in his 2021 contract that the Broncos must decide to exercise until the start of the new league year.
“We have a few things to work out; we would like Kareem back,” said Paton. “… Let’s see if we can do this.”