Broncos Rumors: Miller, Sanders, Marshall
The six-year, $114.5MM offer from the Broncos that linebacker Von Miller is unwilling to accept actually includes a $58MM injury guarantee at signing, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio adds that the remainder of the $58MM would become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league year. The Broncos, therefore, would have the chance to cut the reigning Super Bowl MVP loose after two seasons without any serious repercussions. Miller, however, would like the first three years of the deal guaranteed to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Here’s more on Miller and two of his Denver teammates:
- The exact figure Miller wants over the first three years of his next deal is $70MM, which is the biggest stumbling block in negotiations between him and the Broncos, according to Florio. The Broncos are only willing to guarantee Miller $39.5MM over two years, and Florio doesn’t expect a resolution until right before the July 15 deadline for the team and its franchise player to work out a long-term agreement. That’s if a deal comes at all, of course, which doesn’t look promising at the moment.
- Miller isn’t the only high-profile Bronco entering a contract year: Both receiver Emmanuel Sanders and linebacker Brandon Marshall are slated to hit free agency after the upcoming season. The team is engaged in contract talks with the pair, reports Mike Klis of 9News, who writes that Sanders’ agent, Todd France, recently sent the Broncos a counteroffer. “I want to retire a Bronco,” Sanders told 9News’ Rod Mackey. “I think everyone wants to know, but it’s all about being able to say, ‘I’m getting paid what I put out.’’ Negotiations in Marshall’s case are more advanced, per Klis, who notes that the defender’s deadline to sign his restricted free agent tender for 2016 is Wednesday. If Marshall doesn’t sign the tender, the Broncos will have a chance to reduce his deal from $2.553MM to a 10 percent raise over the $585K he made last season. Nevertheless, Klis expects Denver to award Marshall the $2.553MM even if he doesn’t put pen to paper by the tender deadline.
- For in-depth analysis on what a Marshall extension might look like, check out this piece by PFR’s Sam Robinson.
Broncos Sign Paxton Lynch
5:06pm: Lynch’s deal, which is now official, includes $600K in guarantees for the fourth year. This is the first time anyone picked in Lynch’s slot range (26th overall) has secured guaranteed money for Year 4, reports James Palmer of NFL Network (Twitter link).
10:21am: Broncos first-round pick Paxton Lynch will put pen to paper on his contract today, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. Lynch was selected with the No. 26 overall pick in April. 
[RELATED: Latest On Von Miller]
Lynch is being counted upon to be the Broncos’ quarterback of the future following Peyton Manning‘s retirement and Brock Osweiler‘s departure via free agency. The question is, will he also be the Broncos’ primary quarterback of the present? Denver traded for Mark Sanchez this offseason with the idea that he could either serve as the team’s starter or No. 2 QB in 2016, depending on how the rest of the offseason unfolded. Given his experience, Sanchez would seem to have the upper hand on the starting job for Week 1, but the two QBs will be in competition this summer. This week, the Broncos had Sanchez working with the first team, second-year QB Trevor Siemian with the second team, and Lynch with the third unit. Of course, that order is not expected to last.
As directed by his slot, Lynch will earn $9.5MM over four years, plus a fifth-year option. He’ll also earn a signing bonus worth roughly $5.1MM.
Of course, the Broncos weren’t the only team looking to take Lynch late in the first round. The Cowboys worked feverishly to move up for the Memphis quarterback and proposed a trade to the Jets that would have given them the No. 20 selection.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Von Miller Rumors: Thursday
Star pass rusher Von Miller was prepared to accept the Broncos’ six-year, $114.5MM offer on Monday night, but the deal fell apart over guaranteed money, reports Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. While the linebacker softened on his desire to land $22MM annually by showing he’d take $19MM per season, Denver was only willing to include $38.5MM in guarantees and the team would’ve been able to easily escape the contract after Year 2. Miller could’ve netted another $1.3MM in non-guaranteed money during each of the first two seasons, but that obviously wasn’t an enticing enough add-on for him to accept the offer. As noted by Robinson, at $38.5MM in guarantees, the Broncos’ offer falls well short of the $60MM the Dolphins gave Ndamukong Suh last year and the $52.5MM the Giants awarded Olivier Vernon earlier this offseason. Miller is a four-time All-Pro and the reigning Super Bowl MVP, whereas Vernon has never so much as made a Pro Bowl.
The reason the Broncos are playing hardball with Miller, according to Robinson, is because they still have control over him via the franchise tag. As an exclusive tag recipient, the 27-year-old Miller doesn’t even have the ability to negotiate a deal with another team. With that in mind, the Broncos have shut down negotiations with Miller, which Robinson notes is an unusual tactic for the club. In recent years, the Broncos showed a willingness to hammer out new contracts with receiver Demaryius Thomas and left tackle Ryan Clady, respectively, into the middle of July. As of now, that isn’t the case with Miller, which has led to an ugly situation that could see the two sides head for a divorce over the next year.
Here’s more of the latest on Miller:
- Either forgoing this year’s franchise sum of $14.1MM or the $38.5MM in guarantees the Broncos have offered Miller would carry notable risk for the defender, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If Miller sits the season out, he’d be leaving significant money on the table with no hope of getting it back. Further, it’s not a sure thing that Miller would receive a better offer from Denver or anyone else in 2017. As reported earlier today, though, the Broncos won’t be able to use the exclusive tag again on Miller if he sits out this season. They could place the non-exclusive version on him next year, but a team that signs Miller to an offer sheet not matched by Denver would only have to surrender a first- and third-round pick (not the traditional two first-rounders) for his services.
- Despite the negative turn negotiations have taken, head coach Gary Kubiak is “still optimistic” that a long-term deal with Miller will get done this summer (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today). “Both sides are working hard,” Kubiak said.
- Ed Werder of ESPN has further details on Denver’s offer, reporting (on Twitter) that the $4.5MM extra the team is willing to give Miller would come via an annual workout bonus. Miller would have to partake in 95 percent of workouts in order to collect that money.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Why Von Miller Might Sit Out 2016
- Here’s an interesting twist to the Von Miller saga. As previously reported, 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. Typically, a team that is able to pry a player away on the non-exclusive tag would have to forfeit two first-round picks to the former team. However, if Miller were to sit out, a union source tells Breer that the compensation price would drop from two first-round picks to a first and a third. I imagine that there are some teams that would at least consider forfeiting two first-round choices to land Miller, regarded as one of the best defensive talents in the game. If the price drops to a first- and third-round choice, I think that market opens up even more. Of course, any team that would sign Miller to an offer sheet would also be giving him a $100MM+ deal with significant guarantees.
AFC Notes: T-Rich, Manziel, Dolphins
Trent Richardson may be down to his last chance to continue his NFL career, and he may be firmly on the Ravens‘ roster bubble, but one still has to give him credit for dreaming big. In an interview with Comcast SportsNet, Richardson said he would end his NFL story by “Putting on a yellow jacket. People wrote him off, he came back and did some amazing things. He always had the pedigree. He just had to get back to the guy that we know” (link via Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com). T-Rich, the former No. 3 overall pick of the 2012 draft, has a career average of just 3.3 yards per carry, and he has struggled with injuries and weight throughout the course of his once-promising career. Just 25, Richardson realizes there will probably not be another opportunity for him if he fails to make Baltimore’s roster, but as he fights to carve out a place for himself on the Ravens–who are well-stocked at the running back position–a little self-confidence can’t hurt.
Now for a few more links from the AFC:
- Johnny Manziel‘s attorney, Jim Darnell, says his client is preparing as though he will play in the NFL in 2016, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Per Fowler, Darnell concedes that a return to the league in 2017 is more realistic, but it would take a confluence of positive outcomes for even that to happen. Manziel’s pending assault charge, for which he has a status hearing on June 24, would have to be resolved in his favor, he would have to weather whatever punishments the league levies upon him, and he would have to find a team willing to gamble on him and his fledgling football abilities.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that the NFL has not yet contacted Dolphins rookie left tackle Laremy Tunsil about the now-infamous bong video that precipitated Tunsil’s fall in April’s draft. As Florio notes, however, the league could come calling any day.
- The top of the Dolphins‘ wide receiver depth chart is largely settled, but there is some intrigue among a few of the less-heralded players on the roster, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. Barring injury, Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills, and Leonte Carroo will be the club’s top four wideouts, but rookie Jakeem Grant, despite being a raw route-runner, has flashed in OTAs, and players like Griff Whalen and Matt Hazel also have their supporters among the Dolphins’ coaching staff.
- New Jets left tackle Ryan Clady still has a chip on his shoulder as a result of the unceremonious end to his tenure with the Broncos several months ago, and he is determined to prove he is still the same player he was during his peak years in Denver, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes.
- Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida-Times Union takes a look at six returning Jaguars who could be on the roster bubble, a list headlined by Tyson Alualu and Dwayne Gratz.
Von Miller Notes: Wednesday
An offseason spent making the media rounds and dancing in various costumes gave way to some firm contract talks for Von Miller on Wednesday. The Broncos offered their superstar pass-rusher a six-year, $114.5MM contract only to see the sixth-year linebacker turn it down. The team quickly pulled the offer.
As for what’s next: Miller could be the first Bronco in the John Elway era to play a season on a franchise tag, albeit an exclusive tag that rose from $14.13MM to $14.26MM after the RFA period closed on April 22 (Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets), or come to grips with the fact that the Broncos probably aren’t going to increase that offer much.
Denver’s proposal, which contained $39.8MM in fully guaranteed money, surpassed Ndamukong Suh‘s 2015 Dolphins pact in total value and would make the 27-year-old Miller the highest-paid defender. Miller may, however, be angling for an increase in full guarantees — Suh’s deal contained $59.5MM in full guarantees, far more than elite quarterbacks received on their recent extensions — and could push for the Broncos to inflate those figures past three years’ worth of franchise tags, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
The 2017 tag would pay Miller $16.92MM, with the ’18 tag at $24.36MM, per Florio, for a three-year total of $55.38MM. Miller’s team has not leaked its demands yet, although we heard earlier this offseason Miller wanted a $22MM-AAV deal that compared to the top-flight QB extensions. However, as Corry points out (on Twitter), Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco and Marcell Dareus. received $44.5MM, $44MM and $42.9MM, respectively, upon signing their mammoth accords, so it’s unlikely the Broncos pay the Suh price at signing for a player with whom they have exclusive negotiating rights as opposed to Miami’s situation with then-UFA Suh.
Elway’s used the franchise tag on three players since becoming GM in 2011 — Matt Prater in 2012, Ryan Clady in ’13 and Demaryius Thomas last year — and each agreed to extensions before the July 15 deadline, Thomas doing so on July 15, 2015. That’s probably where this is headed.
Here’s the latest on Miller.
- Corry argues the Broncos should permit the third year of Miller’s deal become fully guaranteed in February of the second year as is the case in Thomas’ contract (Twitter link). Thomas signed a five-year, $70MM last summer and is the only current Bronco set to make more than Miller this season in the form of a $15.2MM cap number. Thomas received $35MM guaranteed at signing. Corry maintains (on Twitter) there sufficient framework exists for the Broncos and Miller to find common ground by July 15.
- The lack of a franchise quarterback salary on Denver’s books for what could be as long as four years helps the Broncos be able to frontload Miller’s deal, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com writes. The Broncos commonly use this tactic to avoid high guarantees in veterans’ later years — as is the case in Aqib Talib‘s six-year deal, which will pay out most of the remaining guarantees in Year 3 this fall. They stand to possess an NFL-most $65.3MM in cap space in 2017, so deals for Miller, Brandon Marshall and Emmanuel Sanders aren’t unrealistic. Not paying Brock Osweiler $18MM+ per year and instead drafting Paxton Lynch provides an opening for more veteran extensions.
Broncos Pull Contract Offer From Von Miller
2:09pm: Talks between Miller and the Broncos are still ongoing and have not broken off, a team source tells James Palmer of NFL Network (on Twitter).
1:42pm: Earlier today, we learned that Von Miller turned down a proposed a six-year, $114.5MM deal with $39.8MM guaranteed in the first two years. Now that Miller has said no to that pact, the Broncos have effectively pulled that proposal from the table, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. The Broncos set a deadline of 10 p.m. Tuesday to reach an agreement on a long-term contract with Miller, and it remains to be seen whether those discussions will be reopened this offseason. 
Miller, who was the MVP of Denver’s Super Bowl 50 win in February, is slated to play out the 2016 campaign on the $14.129MM exclusive franchise tag. The two sides recently “reached a partial agreement” on the years and total value of Miller’s proposed contract, but the two sides disagreed when it came to contract structure. The total value of that deal would have edged out Ndamukong Suh, but it appears that Miller’s reps wanted more guaranteed money inside of the deal’s first three seasons.
Klis writes that Miller’s reps pushed both Suh’s contract and Olivier Vernon‘s deal as comps. Vernon inked a $17MM/year deal with the Giants this offseason and also received $29MM in year one cash. Miller has posted 25 sacks over the past two seasons compared to Vernon’s 14. In total, Miller has posted four double-figure sack seasons while Vernon has accomplished that only once (2013, 11.5 sacks).
Klis notes that it’s not a given that Miller will play out this season under the franchise tag, though I would certainly expect him to. In theory, if Miller were to sit out the 2016 season, it would prevent the Broncos from again applying the “exclusive” franchise tag next year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Von Miller, Broncos
WEDNESDAY, 12:15pm: The Broncos proposed a six-year, $114.5MM deal to Miller that includes $39.8MM guaranteed in the first two years, sources close to Denver tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). That’s apparently not to Miller’s liking, however, and there is no deal in sight at this time. Never say never, but Schefter (Twitter link) says it will be very difficult for Denver and Von Miller to reach long-term agreement by the July 15 deadline.
TUESDAY, 10:10am: During his visit to the White House this week, Von Miller told reporters that the Broncos and his representation have made real progress over the last couple of days regarding a new contract, Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. The two sides have been discussing a new deal for quite some time and it seems like an accord could finally be within reach. 
In March, the Broncos slapped Miller with the seldom-used exclusive franchise tag, a measure which kept him from negotiating with other teams. Under the usual non-exclusive franchise tag, other teams can negotiate with players but they have to surrender two first-round picks in order to sign the tagged player to an unmatched offer sheet. It’s rare that a team will surrender big bucks and two first-round choices for a player, but Miller is one of the league’s most feared linebackers and it’s conceivable that a team desperate for pass rush help could have gone to those lengths.
The Broncos have until July 15 to sign Miller to a long-term extension that will likely approach or perhaps surpass the deal Ndamukong Suh signed with the Dolphins last March. Suh earns $19.06MM on average and signed for six years and $114.38MM. Miller will also likely point to Olivier Vernon as a comp after he netted a $17MM-AAV deal with the Giants this offseason. Miller has posted 25 sacks over the past two seasons compared to Vernon’s 14 and has four double-figure sack seasons on his resume compared to Vernon’s one. As of this writing, Miller is slated to earn $14.129MM in 2016 before hitting free agency.
Recently, Broncos GM John Elway expressed hope that he could get deals done for Miller, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, and linebacker Brandon Marshall by mid-July.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Aqib Talib
WEDNESDAY, 12:04pm: Talib is back with the Broncos today, Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post tweets.
TUESDAY, 5:22pm: Days after Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was shot in the leg, details surrounding the incident remain murky. Today, the Dallas Police Department released a report saying that Talib was the victim of an “aggravated assault,” Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets, noting that the police did not refer to the incident as an “accidental shooting.” A “working hypothesis” is that Talib shot himself, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), which jibes what the defensive back is reportedly telling those close to him.
[RELATED: Aqib Talib shot at Dallas nightclub]
Meanwhile, one league source indicated to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Facebook link) that league punishment is coming for the cornerback. Commissioner Roger Goodell is not a fan of firearms, and the fact that Talib was apparently intoxicated — and a has a history with weapons – will likely factor into any disciplinary decision, per Schefter. It’s still something of an open question as to whether Talib will face legal consequences in addition to NFL penalties.
Talib is on his way to Denver and should return to the team on Wednesday, head coach Gary Kubiak told reporters (Twitter link via Broncos). As he continues to recover from his injury, Talib won’t take part in OTAs during the next two weeks, and is expected to rest for the next six weeks or so, at which point his availability for training camp will be determined.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Aqib Talib
In what is unsurprising news, Aqib Talib will not participate in the Broncos’ OTAs over the next two weeks while recovering from a gunshot wound, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. As Klis notes, Denver will take a month off following its last OTA, so Talib will have plenty of time — perhaps as much as six weeks — to heal. Talib, of course, was involved in an altercation at a Dallas nightclub over the weekend and emerged with a gunshot in his right leg.
Talib has told those close to him that he shot himself, Klis reports, but it seems as though the entire situation is murky. On the night of the incident, Talib reportedly told police he was at a park when he was shot, but the police are investigating the evening in full, according to Rebecca Lopez of WFAA (Twitter links). “Everything was a blur and I was too intoxicated to remember what happened,” said Talib, which makes it sound as though more details may emerge from a confusing night.
If Talib did cause self-inflicted harm, he wouldn’t be the first NFL player to have accidentally shot himself, as receiver Plaxico Burress infamously spent time in prison for criminal possession of a firearm after mistakenly shooting himself in the thigh at a New York nightclub. Texas, clearly, doesn’t have the same strict gun standards that does New York City, so it’s doubtful that Talib will face any criminal charges if the events did in fact unfold in a Burress-esque manner.
The NFL is looking into the matter, a league spokesman told Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), and has contacted the Broncos for more information. There’s no word yet on whether Talib could face league discipline as a result of the incident.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.