Broncos Offer Von Miller $17MM+ AAV Deal
It appears Von Miller‘s Dancing with the Stars run will likely keep him from beginning offseason workouts with the Broncos. Well, that and the fact the star pass-rusher hasn’t signed his franchise tag yet. Unless the 27-year-old Miller is eliminated from the competition Monday night, he will remain in Los Angeles for the duration of his stint on the show, Mike Klis of 9News reports.
But the bigger takeaway from Klis’ report is the Broncos have offered Miller a deal that would pay him between $17-$18MM p
er year.
That total would place the Super Bowl MVP second among all defensive players, behind only Ndamukong Suh‘s $19.06MM, in terms of average annual value.
Despite Miller’s demand of a $22MM-AAV deal in line with elite quarterbacks, the Broncos do not want to exceed Suh’s annual salary, Klis writes. Without Peyton Manning‘s $15MM+ cap number on their books as it was from 2012-15, Miller would become the highest-paid Bronco on a per-year basis — since the full parameters of Denver’s offer to Miller is not yet known — if he opted to accept this deal. Klis reports Miller is not expected to sign his franchise tender anytime soon.
Denver’s No. 2 pick in 2011, Miller believes he’s worth far more than the $17MM-AAV deal Olivier Vernon signed with the Giants based on the edge-rushers’ disparate sack numbers. The Broncos have eclipsed Vernon’s per-year mark but not nearly to Miller’s liking. A 2012 second-rounder, Vernon has 29.0 career sacks and one season with more than 10. Miller, a two-time first-team All-Pro, has 60.0 and four 10-sack+ seasons.
Vernon, however, was able to push his price this high because he was a free agent, whereas Miller will have a difficult time moving the Broncos to beyond $20MM per year due to the fact they’re negotiating with the franchise tag in play. Miller could play this year on the tag and be re-tagged next year — like the Seahawks did with Walter Jones — and still fall well short of Suh’s $19MM+ salary since his exclusive franchise tag is worth $14.129MM.
So, this standoff will likely continue well into the summer. If the sides don’t reach an extension agreement by July 15, Miller will play the 2016 season for $14.129MM.
Had Miller not been involved in this television competition, the fact that he hasn’t signed his tender would keep him out of Denver. Demaryius Thomas bypassed Broncos workouts until being signed to a five-year extension last July. Gary Kubiak told media, including Klis, he expected every player on the roster to attend these workouts, including Miller.
Klis doubts Miller will be eliminated from a contest that has actually induced Miller to take up residence in L.A. to practice at least four times per week. Dancing with the Stars arranges housing for its contestants.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Extra Points: Manziel, Bills, Newsome
Some assorted notes from around the NFL…
- Broncos star linebacker Von Miller wouldn’t mind if his team added his former college teammate, embattled quarterback Johnny Manziel. “If I had to make my decision on it, he would already be with the Broncos. But we’ve got guys in the front office that make those decisions, and they’ve put us in the championship with those decisions,” Miller said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com).
- Linebacker Danny Lansanah is set to visit the Bills, tweets Josh Reed of WIVB. The 30-year-old spent the past three year with the Buccaneers, and he finished last season with 55 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.
- Jonathan Newsome avoided a felony conviction stemming from his marijuana arrest, writes Stephen Holder of IndyStar.com. The former Colts linebacker was instead sentenced to supervised probation.
- Newsome may get another chance in the NFL, but ESPN.com’s Mike Wells doesn’t believe it will be with the Colts. The 25-year-old was released by the team in February following an arrest for marijuana possession.
Extra Points: Thomas, Mathieu, Browner, Draft
As the Broncos continue to reside up against the salary cap, ESPN.com’s Field Yates points out Demaryius Thomas‘ contract can help the Super Bowl champions clear $9.18MM worth of space.
A clause in the seventh-year wide receiver’s five-year, $70MM deal indicates the Broncos can convert any amount of Thomas’ $13MM 2016 salary into a signing bonus, which would then be spread out over the final four seasons of the pact, Yates reports. The Broncos reducing that salary to the veteran minimum of $760K would free up $9.18MM of cap space this year. The team currently resides in cap peril, with barely $1MM in space before signing Jared Crick on Wednesday, as it attempts to work out a Colin Kaepernick trade.
A Thomas restructure would make sense for the Broncos, who have many high-priced contracts on a cap sheet — although, Ryan Clady and Von Miller‘s respective $10.1 and $14.1MM numbers could well be reduced soon, or removed in Clady’s case — that doesn’t include a high-priced quarterback. Denver currently wants Kaepernick at $7MM for 2016 and ’17, but in 2017, the Broncos are as of now set to have $72.36MM of space — second-most in the league.
They’d have more room for a higher Thomas cap number with contracts like Clady’s and DeMarcus Ware‘s off their balance sheet after the 2016 league year. The Dolphins put a similar clause in Ndamukong Suh‘s deal last year.
Here’s the latest from around the league.
- Rehabbing from the torn ACL he sustained in Week 15, Tyrann Mathieu said he would prefer to stay with the Cardinals long-term but acknowledges the negotiation could be tricky, with the versatile defensive back wanting a top-end contract but at a time when he’s coming off a second knee surgery, Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com writes in an expansive piece. “They have concerns, which is understandable,” Mathieu told Prisco. “I’ve had two knee surgeries. At the same time, they know who I am as a teammate, as a football player, what I mean to the community and what I can do on the football field. The easiest thing is to pay me as a safety. But if [Patrick Peterson‘s] guy goes down, I have to check Pat’s guy. For me, it’s about me being compensated for everything I do.” In late February, we heard the contract-year safety and the Cardinals were discussing an extension, but nothing has emerged from those talks as of yet.
- Vernon Davis can earn up to $4.5MM in 2016 if he meets all the incentives of his Washington contract, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports. Davis’ deal is officially a one-year, $1.66MM pact, but the 12th-year tight end meeting those as-of-now unspecified performance incentives could more than double that.
- Brandon Browner posted on his Instagram account (via Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com) that he played through a torn MCL last season with the Saints. The recently released cornerback said he tore the ligament in the Saints’ first preseason game. This would help explain a steep decline that resulted in Pro Football Focus bestowing by far its worst full-time cornerback grade on Browner in 2015.
- Paxton Lynch has a Cowboys visit lined up for Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and will trek to San Diego for a Chargers meeting soon after. The 49ers also sent multiple representatives to observe the Memphis prospect at his pro day Wednesday, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
- The Bills received good value on a nontraditional quarterback accord last season and still employ Tyrod Taylor but are taking a wide-ranging glance of this year’s quarterback crop. Bills reps ate dinner with Lynch and plan to visit with Connor Cook, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The team also already met with Christian Hackenberg, per Albert Breer of NFL.com, and has done plenty of research on Jared Goff.
- Lynch had multiple work-related meals Wednesday, with the Saints meeting with the first-round prospect over lunch, Rapoport tweets. Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld will also visit the Saints soon.
- The Cowboys met with Carson Wentz on Wednesday, according to the team’s website. The North Dakota State prospect also worked extensively with Cowboys coaches at the Senior Bowl.
- Germain Ifedi has a busy schedule upcoming after performing for teams at Texas A&M’s pro day Wednesday. The Aggies’ latest tackle prospect has a slew of visits and workouts booked, WalterFootball.com’s Tony Pauline reports. Ifedi’s visit itinerary features summits with the Lions, Panthers, Bears and Texans after having already met with the Titans and Dolphins. The Cardinals, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Panthers, Texans and Falcons have scheduled workouts with Ifedi.
- Veteran quarterback Seth Lobato is working out for the Panthers, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
Zach Links contributed to this report
Von Miller Gunning For High-End QB Money?
The Broncos and Von Miller haven’t begun substantive talks on a long-term extension, but when the sides do resume discussions, the outside linebacker’s asking price will be in line with what elite quarterbacks earn annually.
Miller will ask for close to $22MM per year, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). As of now, the only players who earn that per year are Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers.
The outside linebacker’s reported price stems from what he could earn on the open market, especially considering Olivier Vernon‘s $17MM-AAV deal with the Giants. Miller’s camp views Vernon as a far inferior talent, Cole said. Multiple GMs told Cole that Miller’s demand isn’t unrealistic, with the star pass-rusher potentially being able to command $24-$25MM per year as a free agent.
Miller, who turns 27 on Saturday, posted 25 sacks the past two regular seasons compared to Vernon’s 14 and has four double-figure sack slates on his resume compared to Vernon’s one. So, his side will probably point out the chasm between these performers’ production.
John Elway has signed the three players he authorized a franchise tag for with the Broncos, giving long-term deals to Matt Prater, Ryan Clady and Demaryius Thomas in July of 2012, 2013 and 2015, respectively. But with Miller — the first player since Drew Brees in 2012 to receive the exclusive franchise tag — aiming to establish a new realm of defenders’ contracts, these negotiations figure to be more complex.
Justin Houston established the benchmark for outside rushers last season by signing for $16.8MM per year. Ndamukong Suh makes $19.1MM on average. Despite his two first-team All-Pro honors and his five-sack postseason, Miller will probably have trouble securing over $3MM more than Suh earns annually due to his franchise tag.
Miller’s tag will pay him just more than $14MM, and should he opt to play on that this season, the Broncos could apply the tag again in 2017 on a 20% raise ($16.95MM). With that figure coming in well shy of what Miller’s seeking, the Broncos aren’t necessarily inclined to measure what Miller could earn on an open market like the Giants were with a UFA like Vernon.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Broncos’ John Elway On QB, Von Miller, O-Line
The defending champions have already undergone a major facelift this offseason, but GM John Elway says that he’s not done tinkering with the team’s roster. Of course, in the wake of Peyton Manning‘s retirement and Brock Osweiler‘s departure, the No. 1 item on the team’s agenda will be to figure out its quarterback situation. The Broncos also have to address the contract of star defensive player Von Miller. The Broncos placed the franchise tag on Miller earlier this offseason and the two sides are discussing a long-term pact. 
On Monday, Elway addressed these issues and more. Here’s a look at the highlights (via Troy Renck of The Denver Post):
On the team’s quarterback situation:
“We will bring somebody in to compete. We are not going to just turn the job over to [Mark Sanchez] now, even though I know he’s excited about competing for the job. Everything is out there. There are a still a lot of guys. You never know what’s going to fall out of the tree. We are not in any rush.”
On Miller and the possibility of a holdout:
“I don’t see the benefit of it, but the (players) obviously do. But we are going to do everything we can and are hopeful we can come to some kind of agreement. Von is a big part of this. We want him to continue to be a big part.”
On the team’s revamped offensive line:
“We are excited about the bookends. [Donald Stephenson] is a young guy we think has a tremendous amount of upside. And [Russell Okung] is a guy who has played solid the last five or six years, been on championships teams and knows what it takes. Plus it gives us flexibility with the guys we have now with [Ty Sambrailo] and [Michael Schofield] (on playing guard). Different guys can go different places. It opens us up for the draft, and we can get to the point where we can take the best player.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Franchise Rumors: Miller, Cousins, Norman
As we outlined shortly after Tuesday’s deadline, 10 NFL teams used their franchise or transition tags this year to secure at least the right of first refusal for potential free agents. While there’s no pressure on those players to sign those franchise or transition tenders anytime soon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier today that at least one or two players, including Bills tackle Cordy Glenn, could sign those tenders sooner rather than later.
Signing a franchise tender ensures that a player is guaranteed his 2016 salary, and prevents the team from rescinding the offer down the road. It also precludes the player from exploring the market to see if there are any teams willing to sign him to an offer sheet, but there would be nothing stopping the player from continuing to work on an extension with his own team, prior to the July 15th deadline.
As we wait to see if any franchised players sign their tenders today, let’s round up a few items of interest relating to this year’s group of tag recipients…
- Von Miller, the only player to receive an exclusive franchise tag before Tuesday’s deadline, is willing to take a “discount” on a long-term contract with the Broncos, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links). As Breer points out though, it’s not clear whether Miller’s discount would apply to Ndamukong Suh‘s $19MM annual rate, or to Miller’s actual market value, which could exceed $20MM per year, according to rival executives. If the star pass rusher is only willing to accept less than his market value, that would still likely mean an average salary in the $18-19MM range.
- Washington‘s long-term contract offers to quarterback Kirk Cousins have exceeded $16MM per year, according to Breer (Twitter links). However, Cousins’ camp is aiming for an annual average closer to the franchise-tag salary ($19.953MM). Still, Washington’s starting quarterback plans on signing his tender and reporting to offseason activities while the two sides continue to work on a multiyear extension.
- Before the 2015 season began, the Panthers offered Josh Norman a five-year contract worth about $7.5MM annually, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Needless to say, Norman’s price has gone up significantly since then, with Person suggesting the veteran cornerback is seeking a deal that exceeds $14MM per year. Norman’s franchise-tag salary is $13.952MM.
Broncos Place Exclusive Franchise Tag On Von Miller
TUESDAY, 11:17am: The Broncos have officially filed the paperwork on Miller, assigning him the exclusive franchise tag, as expected, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
SUNDAY, 7:54pm: The seldom-used exclusive franchise tag appears to be set for deployment in Denver, with the Broncos preparing to place their top protection measure on Von Miller, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports.
Pushing to become the league’s highest-paid defender, Miller will not be permitted to negotiate with other teams as he would be if the Broncos were to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on the premier pass-rushing linebacker. Under the usual non-exclusive franchise tag teams use, other teams can negotiate with these performers but would have to surrender two first-round picks if they were to sign the tagged player to an offer sheet and the tagging team doesn’t match it.
Miller would be entitled to an average of the top-five salaries at his position — once the restricted free agent signing period ends on April 22 — if designated with the exclusive tag. The non-exclusive franchise tag for linebackers has been set at $14.129MM.
However, the Broncos may actually be getting Miller, who turns 27 in March, on their cap at a cheaper rate by using the exclusive tag. Renck and Pro Football Talk report this rarely used measure is currently slated to be worth $14.04MM for linebackers.
In Miller’s case, the Broncos aren’t taking any chances, with the Super Bowl MVP’s value to a pass rush-needy team potentially worth the two first-rounders.
The Broncos will 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, but as Mike Florio of PFT points out, Suh’s deal was built on what the free agent defensive tackle could have earned on the open market. Miller’s will have his franchise tag figures — $16.95MM in 2017 in the unlikely scenario Miller’s tagged again for a 20% raise — factored into it.
But the Broncos have signed each of the three players on which they applied the franchise tag under John Elway‘s leadership. Ryan Clady, Matt Prater and Demaryius Thomas signed long-term extensions after being slapped with the non-exclusive tag in 2012, 2013 and 2015, respectively. Miller is a two-time first-team All-Pro and holds a higher standing in the game than those talents, however.
Justin Houston, who received the non-exclusive tag from the Chiefs last year, is the game’s highest-paid linebacker after signing a six-year, $101MM deal last July. Houston received $52.5MM guaranteed in signing his extension in Kansas City, and Miller will obviously push for a greater portion of his pact to be guaranteed.
With Peyton Manning‘s $19MM salary still on the books as of Sunday night, the Broncos have just $8.4MM of cap room. The 39-year-old quarterback’s deal, however, almost certainly won’t be on the Broncos’ books for 2016, and that $19MM would go to helping the team attempt to secure its preferred free agents.
Renck also reports the Broncos are still negotiating with Malik Jackson, whose asking price now resides at $14MM per season. The Broncos have reportedly offered the fifth-year defensive end a deal worth almost $12MM per season. Renck, however, reports the Broncos’ top offer to Jackson remains less than $11MM per season.
Now that Miller looks to be given the franchise tag, Jackson looks poised to hit the market.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Free Agent Rumors: Rams, V. Miller, Hayes
The deadline for NFL teams to assign the franchise or transition tag to one of their players will arrive today at 3:00pm central time, so there will be plenty of interesting situations to keep an eye on over the next several hours.
One of those situations will be in Los Angeles, where cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins are both candidates to be tagged. While recent reports have suggested the Rams are leaning toward using their tag on Johnson, Rand Getlin of the NFL Network tweets that he firmly believes it will be used on Jenkins instead.
As I noted yesterday, the Rams may be incentivized to lock up Jenkins with a tag, since long-term contract talks with him don’t seem to be going well. Signing Johnson to a multiyear deal may be a more realistic proposition, so tagging Jenkins might give the team its best shot at retaining both corners.
Here’s more on pending free agents around the NFL, including one more who is expected to be tagged:
- While Von Miller still appears on track for the franchise tag, he and the Broncos have shown a commitment to getting a longer-term deal done eventually, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport reports that any multiyear extension for Miller would eclipse Justin Houston‘s six-year, $101MM pact, and Mike Klis of 9NEWS agrees, writing that the Broncos are offering $17MM+ annually. However, Klis points out that the team views Ndamukong Suh‘s $19MM-per-year contract as an outlier, and probably won’t be willing to go quite that high.
- Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, and Jason Cole of Bleacher Report are bullish on the free agent market for Rams defensive end William Hayes. Cole tweets that Hayes will be “in high demand,” while Garafolo tweets that the veteran pass rusher may nearly double his previous annual salary ($3.4MM).
- Appearing on PFT Live, Bengals cornerback Adam Jones said there have been “a lot of other teams” contacting his agent about signing him. Technically, of course, teams aren’t supposed to talk to an outside free agent’s representatives until the legal tampering period begins, but it’s widely acknowledged that clubs typically don’t wait that long.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post explains why the Giants won’t use their franchise tag this year on Jason Pierre-Paul, despite possessing a ton of cap room.
FA Rumors: Broncos QBs, Snacks, 49ers, Hali, Mebane
A look at the latest rumors as we draw closer to free agency:
- The quarterback-needy Texans are likely to go after Brock Osweiler if he doesn’t re-sign with the Broncos, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).
- If Peyton Manning – whom Osweiler has backed up since entering the NFL in 2012 – returns for his age-40 season and the Broncos release him, the Texans and Rams could pursue the future Hall of Famer, writes Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. Should Manning elect against retirement, Denver is expected to cut the two-time Super Bowl champion by March 8 and save $19MM on its cap. A good portion of that money would go to linebacker Von Miller, who is looking for a deal similar to what Miami gave defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh last winter (six years, $114MM, with $60MM in guarantees), reports Marvez.
- It’ll take a “major reversal” for Jets defensive tackle Damon Harrison to not reach the open market, according to La Canfora (Twitter link). “Snacks” stated earlier this month that he and the Jets were making progress toward a deal, but that no longer appears to be the case. The 27-year-old was Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked interior defender against the run last season (subscription required).
- Passing along what he heard at the scouting combine, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee lists several prospective free agents the 49ers are thought to be targeting. Guards Kelechi Osemele, Brandon Brooks, J.R. Sweezy, Richie Incognito and Ramon Foster; receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu; cornerbacks Sean Smith, Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins; and running back Doug Martin could all be on the club’s radar.
- The Chiefs are working hard to retain linebacker Tamba Hali, whom they’ll meet with later this week, reports La Canfora (Twitter link). Hali has so far spent his entire career in Kansas City, which used a first-round pick on him in 2006. The 32-year-old has piled up 86 sacks (6.5 last season) while missing just four regular-season games in his decade-long career.
- Speaking of players whose careers have been spent in one place, defensive tackle Brandon Mebane hopes to extend his nine-year tenure with the Seahawks. “I’d love to be back out there in Seattle, finish my career in Seattle,” the 2007 third-rounder told 710 ESPN. However, Mebane added that he’ll probably visit other teams. Mebane’s status is one of many issues PFR addressed in its offseason preview of the Seahawks on Sunday. Click here to read it.
Big Name Rumors: Kaepernick, Miller, Martin
Let’s take a look at some rumors surrounding the biggest names of this offseason, beginning with updates on Colin Kaepernick and Von Miller.
- Contrary to yesterday’s speculation from Ian Rapoport, John McClain of The Houston Chronicle tweets that the Texans have “no interest” in trading for Kaepernick. Likewise, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Browns are not interested in dealing for Kaepernick at this time.
- As Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee observes, now that Kaepernick’s unhappiness with the 49ers is public knowledge, the team has zero leverage in trade talks. Instead of being traded, Kaepernick would reportedly prefer to be released, an alternative that would probably lead to less money for him but would allow him to choose his next destination. However, a release is probably not in the cards, as Mark Purdy of The San Jose Mercury News writes. Purdy recently interviewed team owner Jed York at length, and York reaffirmed his belief in Kaepernick and expressed his hope that No. 7 is wearing a 49ers uniform next season. Plus, even if Kaepernick is still on the team’s roster on April 1, which would make his $11.9MM salary for 2016 fully guaranteed, San Francisco would still be able to trade him and at least get something in return, instead of releasing him prior to April 1 and netting no compensation.
- Of course, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, York’s comments could simply be a thinly-veiled attempt to restore some leverage to the 49ers in their efforts to deal Kaepernick, leverage that they may need even more now that the Texans and Browns are reportedly not interested in making a deal for the disgruntled signal-caller.
- Mike Klis of 9News.com tweets that the Broncos and Miller still have a lot of work to do before Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline, but he says that talks are still ongoing and the implication is that both sides are hopeful that a long-term deal can be struck before Denver is forced to use the tag. As Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post reported several days ago, Miller is motivated to reach an accord, and the two sides are not terribly far apart in their negotiations.
- Antonio Cromartie might not be garnering many national headlines at this point, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the veteran cornerback, who was recently released by the Jets, is expected to meet with the Bills. Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan is reportedly interested in a reunion with Cromartie, who played under Ryan in New York from 2011-2013 and who earned Pro Bowl nods in 2012 and 2013.
- Although he does not not explicitly say that Doug Martin is likely to leave the Buccaneers, as a report suggested a few days ago, Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times does confirm that Martin is likely to reach free agency.