Bills Place Von Miller On IR
Von Miller‘s hopes at returning from his meniscus injury in Week 14 faded quickly. The Bills placed the veteran pass rusher on IR on Thursday, shutting him down for at least four games.
The earliest Miller can now return is Week 17. Given Buffalo’s investment in the future Hall of Famer, it is unsurprising the team would operate cautiously here. While this will hurt the Bills’ pass-rushing capabilities over the next few weeks, it stands to give Miller more rehab time.
“We’ve been assessing Von this week and seeing how he is, and we don’t want to rush him back,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said. “This gives us a chance to go ahead and count tonight’s game and three more on injured reserve. And hopefully we can get him back for the stretch run.”
Miller did not tear his ACL but acknowledged he will likely need surgery. The initial Bills plan was to wait for swelling to subside over the next seven to 10 days before making a determination, but they are acting early. By placing Miller on IR ahead of their game against the Patriots tonight, Miller will only need to miss three more. It is perhaps a bit surprising the Bills are factoring roster math into an equation involving a player of Miller’s stature, but Thursday’s call also points to the organization not wanting to risk a setback by the 12th-year edge defender attempting to come back too fast.
It is believed Miller will be fine with using a knee brace upon return. He donned a brace during points of his Broncos stay, which included an ACL tear. Miller bounced back quickly from that December 2013 malady, re-establishing himself as a Pro Bowl rusher — being invited to the next six — and a player who would go on to become the first defender in NFL history to sign two $100MM-plus contracts. Miller, 33, is currently tied to a six-year, $120MM pact — one that includes guarantees into 2024.
The Bills will be without Miller for some rather key games. In addition to this Pats matchup, Miller will miss games against the Jets and Dolphins. The Bills, who also play the Bears during this span, close their regular season with Bengals and Patriots meetings. While Buffalo is ticketed to have Greg Rousseau back in Week 13 after a November absence, the team is 0-2 in the AFC East. How the Bills fare in their three Miller-less division tilts will likely determine if they will need their home blues in the AFC playoffs. At 8-3, the Bills are in decent shape to make the playoffs for a fourth straight season. But even that is not a lock. The Patriots and Chargers both loom at 6-5; a Pats win tonight would provide quite a boost.
Despite their brigade of defensive injuries, the Bills are in fine shape in terms of injury activations. The team has seven of its eight allotted injury moves remaining. One will be saved for Miller, barring a decision for a season-ending surgery. Miller indicated that was unlikely to happen, but it is not a lock the Bills have their top pass rusher back this season. Miller already amassed eight sacks this season, at only a 61% snap snare, so losing him would be a blow for the contending team’s Super Bowl hopes. This will certainly be a situation to monitor this month.
Von Miller Aiming To Return In Week 14
This week’s VonCast episode brought an update on its host’s status after a Thanksgiving knee injury. Von Miller informed listeners he is hoping for a return by Week 14 against the Jets.
While Miller acknowledged he did not receive the best of news and indicated he sustained lateral meniscus damage, he confirmed the previously reported plan of letting the swelling subside and making a decision after that. Miller will miss this week’s Bills-Patriots matchup but said he will try to play in Buffalo’s ensuing game.
“I do feel like I can play through that,” Miller said, via the Buffalo News’ Katherine Fitzgerald (Twitter links). “So, I’m just gonna wait a little bit, wait a little bit, let the swelling go down for about seven to 10 days. And hopefully, right before the Jets game, I will be back. I think every other week after this, I should be able to give it a shot.”
Previous reports did not guarantee Miller would be back this season, indicating the impending surgery’s timetable will determine the future Hall of Fame pass rusher’s status. Miller said the meniscus damage is “going to have to be addressed” (video link), but it does not sound like he is considering a surgery that will knock him out for the rest of this season.
That could potentially change, as ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds (via Twitter) no firm decision has been made. But Miller played with a knee brace earlier in his career and is believed to be comfortable doing so again, per Fowler. For now, the big-ticket Bills free agent signing is planning to be part of the team’s stretch run.
Miller returning barely two weeks after this injury might be on the optimistic side, but the Bills having their ace pass rusher back at any point in the regular season can be considered good news after his injury at Ford Field. The eight-time Pro Bowler missed all of the 2020 season with an ankle injury, and his December 2013 ACL tear occurred in the same knee he damaged last week.
The Bills have also been without 2021 first-round pick Greg Rousseau for the past three games because of an ankle injury. Miller’s top sidekick, however, has logged two full practices this week and is on track to return against the Patriots. Ditto Tremaine Edmunds, who practiced fully twice already this week. The fifth-year linebacker has missed the past two Bills games. With five sacks in eight games, Rousseau has already topped his rookie-year total. Despite being used on a career-low 61% of his team’s defensive snaps, Miller has eight sacks this season. Sitting on 123.5 career sacks, the 12th-year edge defender is on track for his first double-digit sack season since 2018.
Latest On Von Miller
A Thanksgiving Day injury for star pass rusher Von Miller initially had some Bills fans hitting the panic button, but as updates continue to pour in, we are getting a clearer picture of the situation. The most recent update tells us that Miller will take seven to 10 days to allow the swelling to go down in his knee, allowing for a better evaluation, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.
As unfortunate as it is to likely lose Miller for a game or two, the news has been increasingly optimistic in Buffalo. Initial fears of an ACL tear were downgraded to a knee sprain. Even now, Miller is reportedly remaining optimistic about the eventual reevaluation, boosted by the assurance that he’s been in this situation before, when an ankle injury sidelined him for the entire 2020 season.
The Bills’ tremendous pass-rushing group has been hampered lately with injuries. Last year’s first-round pick out of Miami, Gregory Rousseau, has missed the team’s last three games and A.J. Epenesa was out for the Turkey Day matchup with the Lions. Buffalo still has two extremely capable edge pass rushers in Boogie Basham and Shaq Lawson but losing the team’s top three sack-leaders is never going to be an ideal scenario.
Buffalo is staying calm and remaining optimistic. They’ll have a second straight Thursday game this week in New England and will have a 10-day rest period before hosting two straight home games. Knowing that Miller won’t travel for the next three weeks is ideal. They’ll gauge the damage again after their road trip to the Patriots and have a full week to determine next steps.
Bills’ Von Miller Avoids ACL Tear; Return Timetable Uncertain
Some good news emerged on the Von Miller front Friday morning, though this situation remains murky. The standout Bills pass rusher avoided an ACL tear, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) and has a chance to return this season.
However, more tests are coming to determine how much time he will miss. Concern remains regarding the meniscus in Miller’s injured knee, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. At some point, a surgery will take place, Rapoport adds. But it is uncertain if Miller will go under the knife soon or in the offseason. The timetable here will obviously have a major impact on Buffalo’s pass rush the rest of the way.
Miller is not expected to make any decisions for a week or two, per Schefter, who adds he is not a lock to return this season (Twitter link). This December decision — have surgery or keep going, likely with a brace — promises to be a seminal moment for the Bills, who have run into a spate of injuries in recent weeks.
Thursday’s injury led to the future Hall of Famer being transported off the Ford Field turf via cart, though Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 notes Miller did not exit the locker room needing crutches or any assistance (Twitter link). Initially, a knee sprain surfaced as a rumored diagnosis. Miller, 33, is expected to miss time. Sean McDermott said Friday that Miller will miss the Bills’ Week 13 game against the Patriots.
This could be a brutal blow for Buffalo, but Miller dodging an ACL tear — an injury that would have shut him down until at least training camp — represents good news for the Super Bowl-contending team.
Miller has a history of major knee trouble, but that came nine years ago. In December 2013, Miller suffered a torn ACL. This injury is to the same knee. That capped a turbulent year for the then-Broncos pass rusher, who began the season serving a six-game substance-abuse ban. Miller, however, returned to top form quickly and put himself on track for Canton beginning in 2014. The former No. 2 overall pick made the Pro Bowl in 2014 — a 14-sack season — and was invited to five more Pro Bowls from 2015-19. While a severe ankle injury prevented Miller from playing in 2020, he returned to form again after a midseason trade to the Rams last year.
Following Miller’s boost to the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI cause, the Bills convinced him to make the rare (for high-profile free agents) trek to western New York in March. Buffalo’s Super Bowl quest played into the eight-time Pro Bowler’s decision. Despite a reduced workload (61% defensive snap rate) compared to the full-time roles he played in Denver and Los Angeles, Miller has already racked up eight sacks and made an impact on the Bills’ younger pass rushers. The Bills being without this era’s best edge rusher the rest of the way would certainly will impact their Super Bowl aspirations. If Miller does return, gauging his post-injury form will be important.
Buffalo has played without second-year edge Greg Rousseau recently, though the 2021 first-round pick is not on IR. The team was also without Tremaine Edmunds and Jordan Poyer against Detroit. The team did get top cornerback Tre’Davious White back in Week 12 and saw Kaiir Elam return after missing two games. Micah Hyde is on IR with a neck injury and is not expected to return this season.
Bills Fear Knee Sprain For Von Miller
On a day when the Bills welcomed back one of their top defensive players, another exited the contest early. Von Miller was carted off the field late in the second quarter, leaving Buffalo without their top pass rusher. 
The Bills immediately ruled Miller out for the remainder of their Thanksgiving tilt against the Lions, leading to widespread speculation that a major injury had occurred. The initial diagnosis appears to be more positive, however. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the team believes Miller suffered a knee sprain, with more tests to come tomorrow (Twitter link).
While that news is relatively positive, Rapoport adds that a far more serious diagnosis could be coming in the near future. In a follow-up, he notes that Miller will miss some time in 2022; the important matter will now become how much. A torn ACL or similar ailment would end his season, and put a significant dent in Buffalo’s Super Bowl aspirations given his effectiveness during his debut season as a Bill.
Miller entered today’s game in a tie for 10th in the league in sacks this season (8.0). That has represented a good return on investment for Buffalo, who inked the future Hall of Famer to a six-year, $120MM deal in free agency. He has led a Bills pass rush group which ranks mid-pack in sacks, but has helped the team’s defense allow the fifth-fewest points per game (17.4) in 2022.
Buffalo’s front seven was already without Gregory Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa for today’s game, so their edge rush will be particularly shorthanded for the remainder of the contest. Concern will linger well beyond the immediate future in Miller’s case, though, at least until more is know about the extent of his injury.
On a more positive note, the preseason Super Bowl favorites saw No. 1 corner Tre’Davious White make his return this afternoon. The two-time Pro Bowler had been sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL; while his snap count against Detroit will likely be limited, he will provide a significant boost to Buffalo’s secondary when he resumes a full-time starting role. A return to his top form could be especially needed if Miller misses extended time.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Miller, Kearse, Commanders, Eagles, Seumalo, Giants
Being Von Miller‘s hometown team, the Cowboys had a recruiting advantage this offseason. Miller expressed interest in returning to the Broncos, but when that did not happen, he opened the door to a hometown discount with the Cowboys. Dallas’ offer was believed to be the same one it proposed now-Denver-stationed Randy Gregory — five years, $70MM. Miller moved on, choosing the Bills’ three guaranteed years ahead of Rams proposal that would have paid him more in the short term. After Gregory spurned the Cowboys, they opted for a thriftier trip through the pass-rushing market.
“Von Miller is a great football player,” Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. “I mean, you see them play at that level and especially this early there is a lot of school of thought on older guys like that that when you really get those guys are for more so for the playoffs than it is for the first part, middle of the season. Now, granted, I’m sure there was a little bit of motivation for Von playing for the Rams and winning a Super Bowl to go out there and showcase what he’s all about.
“There is a lot of players that if there was unlimited cap space that you could do things, but that wasn’t a short-term, one-year deal. It was a long-term deal, and we had to not only look at what we’re doing this year but look at what is going to be coming at us here in a year or two. Just made a conscientious decision there that we wanted to go with the direction that we went.”
The Cowboys turned to a committee approach to replace Gregory, re-signing Dorance Armstrong, adding Dante Fowler as a UFA and drafting Sam Williams in Round 2. Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- Brian Robinson continues to make progress after suffering two gunshot wounds on August 28. The rookie Commanders running back attended practice for the first time since being shot in the hip and knee. The third-round pick had a wrap around his right knee but did footwork and agility drills on a side field, per the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala. Robinson is eligible to come off Washington’s reserve/NFI list in Week 5.
- The Eagles created some cap space this week. They restructured Isaac Seumalo‘s contract, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). A $4.62MM chunk of Seumalo’s base salary is now a signing bonus, opening up $3.69MM in cap room. The Eagles now hold nearly $11MM in space, a total that sits sixth in the league. This is Seumalo’s contract year, though four void years are on the deal as well now. The team not doing another deal with the starting guard by the start of the 2023 league year would create a $7.53MM dead-money charge.
- Second-year Giants cornerback Aaron Robinson will be out for Week 2 due to an appendix removal, Brian Daboll said (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz). This likely will be a multigame absence for the first-year starter, Schwartz adds. Robinson, a 2021 third-round pick, played every Giants defensive snap opposite Adoree’ Jackson in Week 1. This depletes an already-thin position group for the Giants, who cut James Bradberry months ago. The team did draft slot option Cor’Dale Flott in Round 3, claimed ex-Steelers third-rounder Justin Layne via waivers and added ex-Washington and Atlanta starter Fabian Moreau to its practice squad. Of the three, Moreau is by far the most experienced option.
- The Cowboys will be without one of their starting safeties for a while. Jayron Kearse sustained an MCL sprain in Week 1, per Jerry Jones (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer, on Twitter). Kearse, who impressed as a Cowboys starter last year, re-signed with the team for two years and $10MM this offseason. He is expected to be out between two and four weeks. The Cowboys had a rough Week 1 on the injury front, losing Dak Prescott and Connor McGovern as well. Malik Hooker figures to step into the starting lineup alongside Donovan Wilson.
Bills Targeted Chandler Jones Amid Rams-Von Miller Connections
Von Miller started off his Bills tenure well, notching two sacks against the Rams and spearheading Buffalo’s seven-sack night. Miller chose the Bills over the Rams and Cowboys in free agency, but the rumors connecting the future Hall of Famer and the defending Super Bowl champions nearly moved the Bills in another direction.
Miller said this offseason he was 90% sure he would re-sign with the Rams. The Bills undoubtedly believed there was a good chance Miller would stay in Los Angeles, as Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes Buffalo was initially set to pursue Chandler Jones (subscription required).
The consensus belief Miller would stay in L.A. led to the Bills-Jones connection, per Rodrigue, who adds the Rams expected to retain Miller as well. The Bills became aware of a contract matter that ended up altering the Miller sweepstakes. Learning of the Rams’ proposal containing two guaranteed years, the Bills made the rare move of including a third guaranteed year. Miller said this summer that ended up pushing him to Buffalo.
Buffalo’s six-year, $120MM Miller contract includes a lower per-year average through 2024 than the Rams’ proposal carried, but Miller’s Bills deal has $10.7MM guaranteed in 2024. The Rams were unwilling to break a precedent in this chase, per Rodrigue, who notes this Rams regime has never offered a player a third guaranteed season. Los Angeles’ three-year Aaron Donald deal features a nonguaranteed 2024 season.
A loose Jones-Bills connection emerged ahead of free agency, though several other teams were interested. Once the legal tampering period began, however, the Raiders loomed for Jones. The former Patriots and Cardinals defender signed a three-year, $52.5MM accord hours before the 2022 league year began. Miller’s Bills pact became finalized hours later.
Jones, 32, is a year younger than Miller. But the two-time All-Pro appeared to be Buffalo’s backup plan here. The Bills had pursued a Miller trade before the 2021 season, though they were not connected to calling the Broncos on him before the in-season Rams swap. The Cardinals, who had Jones winding down his 2017 extension, and Cowboys were believed to be the Broncos’ other options there. Miller is signed through the 2027 season; he has said he will aim to play out the contract.
Cowboys Offered Von Miller Five-Year Deal; Rams’ Proposal Guaranteed Two Years
Von Miller chose the Bills in free agency, signing a six-year deal worth $120MM. The contract included $45MM guaranteed at signing and $51.4MM in total guarantees. The Bills needed to come in with an offer that lured Miller away from Los Angeles and kept him out of Dallas. Both the Cowboys and Rams made strong runs at the future Hall of Fame edge rusher.
Placing a “90%” expectation on the likelihood he would re-sign with the Rams, Miller broke down (via The Athletic’s Dan Pompei; subscription required) the difference in the Rams’ and Cowboys’ offers compared to the one that convinced him to move to Buffalo.
Miller’s Bills contract hit $20MM per year, but a nonguaranteed $29.6MM base salary in the contract’s final season inflated the overall value and per-year salary. The Rams offered Miller a three-year deal he said included a higher through-2024 AAV compared to the Bills’ proposal, but the 12th-year veteran added Los Angeles was only willing to include guarantees through two years. The Bills pushing guaranteed money into Year 3 — Miller’s age-35 season — persuaded the perennial Pro Bowler to make an unexpected move east.
After seeing Randy Gregory renege on their offer, the Cowboys did focus on Miller, a Dallas-area native. They offered Miller the same five-year, $70MM deal Gregory had turned down — due to language tied to guarantee voiding. That proposal came with two years guaranteed, Pompei notes. Miller’s Bills deal includes the fifth-most fully guaranteed money among edge rushers. Gregory’s Broncos pact (also five years and $70MM) ranks 24th on that list, with $28MM fully guaranteed.
“I told them I was ready to come to the Cowboys,” Miller said. “I would have taken less to go to Dallas because it’s Dallas. But I wouldn’t take that much less.”
The Cowboys, who had reached a new agreement to retain DeMarcus Lawrence, ended up giving Dante Fowler a low-cost accord and drafting Sam Williams in the second round. They also re-signed Dorance Armstrong.
The third team Miller was interesting in joining (again) did not show interest. He of eight Pro Bowls as a Bronco, Miller was frequently asked to stump for whatever quarterback the team acquired that offseason. While the Rams were still in the playoffs, Miller sent word to the Broncos that a trade for Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson would put him on board to come back. Miller then teased a Denver return on social media in the offseason. The Broncos had traded Miller to the Rams at last year’s deadline, for second- and third-round picks that became beneficial in the team’s subsequent Wilson acquisition, but Pompei adds Miller’s original team did not contact him during free agency.
Gregory, 29, joined the Broncos, who drafted Nik Bonitto in Round 2. The team also stands to return ex-Miller wingman Bradley Chubb and fill-in starter Malik Reed, along with other George Paton-era draftees, at outside linebacker. In Buffalo, Miller will lead an edge-rushing contingent housing recent first- and second-round picks Gregory Rousseau, Boogie Basham and A.J. Epenesa. The Bills also brought back Shaq Lawson this offseason.
The Bills submitted their offer after a Miller visit, one that Pompei adds included the former No. 2 overall pick nearly backing out. Miller nearly told Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane on the visit — a meeting kept quiet — he would not sign with the Bills, but after meeting with the team’s coaching staff and discussing his potential role with Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, the marquee free agent reconsidered. The end result marked one of the biggest signings in Bills history.
Von Miller Wants To Play Out Six-Year Bills Contract
Few modern-era NFL players sign six-year contracts. Almost none play out those deals. Von Miller became a major exception, signing a then-defender-record contract in 2016 and playing it out.
Miller, 33, made four straight Pro Bowls on his six-year, $114.1MM extension, anchoring several Broncos defenses held down by the franchise’s perennial issues at quarterback. Following a full-season absence in 2020, Miller returned to form last season by helping the Rams to their second Super Bowl title. This led to a strong free agent market, one that wrapped with the Bills giving the future Hall of Famer a six-year, $120MM accord.
The Buffalo deal includes $45MM fully guaranteed but features no guaranteed money after 2024. It also includes a considerable final-year pay bump to bring the AAV to $20MM. But Miller, rather than identifying a retirement window during this lengthy contract, wants to be with the Bills over the duration of the through-2027 deal.
“This is a six-year deal, so I’m looking forward to playing the whole thing,” Miller said, via the Buffalo News’ Mark Gaughan. “I’m trying to play the whole thing out. Tom Brady‘s done it; Bruce Smith has done it. All the guys that I look up to when it comes to longevity in careers. So I just take it one day at a time, and I’m just gonna take whatever God gives me. My intention is to play the whole thing out. I’m a real sicko when you get to know me. My mindset is different.”
This is not the first time Miller has referenced Smith, nor is it the first time he has discussed playing well into his late 30s. The All-Decade defender worked as a vital part of the Rams’ Super Bowl push, registering nine sacks in the team’s final eight games — including two in Super Bowl LVI. The Bills beat out aggressive Rams interest for the star edge rusher’s services, bringing in the Broncos’ all-time sack leader to add an anchor to a pass rush that has lacked one for years.
Although only Mario Addison collected six or more sacks at 33 or older last season, there have been 71 double-digit sack seasons since 1960 (though sacks are only official post-1982). Hall of Famers Smith, Reggie White and Kevin Greene are among those to remain prolific sackers into their late 30s, while Julius Peppers provides a recent example of such production (48 sacks from his age-33 season on). Miller ranks 22nd on the NFL’s official all-time sack list, with 115.5. The former Super Bowl MVP is 22 away from the top 10. Miller has 10.5 sacks in the playoffs (12th in the sack era). Willie McGinest‘s 16 are the most by sack-era players. The Bills are obviously hoping their hired gun will add a few more to that total in the coming years.
The Bills are counting on Miller to stay on course, employing rookie-contract defensive ends (Gregory Rousseau, Boogie Basham and A.J. Epenesa) around him. The team did bring back Shaq Lawson and Jordan Phillips and signed ex-Washington D-tackle Tim Settle to round out this D-line retooling effort, however.
It remains unlikely Miller will play out another six-year deal. The Bills should be expected to move on at some point in the mid-2020s. If Miller does thrive for a few years on this pact, the sides reaching another deal would likely be in play.
Broncos GM On Trades, Draft, Free Agency
Since George Paton took over as Broncos GM last year, the team traded the previous regime’s highest-profile player and now has a new one. Both transactions came via blockbuster trades, with the capital acquired from the first helping the Broncos pull off the second.
Denver dealt Von Miller to Los Angeles for second- and third-round 2022 picks. That ended up being a win-win-win deal, with the Rams claiming a Super Bowl title, the Broncos having enough draft picks to feel comfortable parting with a big haul for Russell Wilson, and Miller’s post-trade rebound enticing the Bills to submit a strong free agency offer. The Broncos’ years-long quarterback issue hovered at the root of the Miller trade.
“I love Von, but we knew we weren’t good enough with Von to get to where we needed to go at that point,” Paton said via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue (subscription required). “I knew in the next year or two we needed to get a quarterback. We needed to break through, [be it] trading up in the draft or via trade; free agency, you’re probably not going to get your franchise guy. So we were just going to keep accumulating picks until we got a quarterback. It’s hard to win if you don’t get that guy.”
Paton successfully filled one of the NFL’s longest-standing needs by acquiring Wilson for a package that included three players, two first-round picks, two second-rounders and a fifth. The Miller trade, however, leaves the Broncos with three Day 2 picks this year. Without first-rounders this year and next, the second day of this year’s draft figures to be quite important for a Denver team that will have a franchise-quarterback salary on its books in the not-too-distant future.
Denver, which had started 11 quarterbacks since Peyton Manning‘s retirement, has not carried a notable QB salary on its books since Joe Flacco‘s in 2019. Wilson is set to count just $24MM against the Broncos’ cap this season. While an extension is fully expected to commence by the 2023 season, it is not yet certain a new deal will be in place this year.
“You build a different way,” Paton said of how the Broncos will need to construct future rosters. “You aren’t going to go on a spending splurge every free agency; you just can’t. The model doesn’t work like that. We realize — we had all of these talks about how, three years down the road, how this impacts us.
“Do we have to hit on picks? Yeah. Everyone has to hit on their picks. But the stakes are higher. You gotta hit on the sixth-rounder, the seventh-round safety or else the model doesn’t work. We embrace the challenge just as we embrace the opportunity to have a guy like Russ.”
Paton’s first Broncos draft included cornerstones like Patrick Surtain and Javonte Williams, along with rookie-year contributors in offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz (Round 3), safety Caden Sterns (Round 5), linebacker Baron Browning (Round 3) and edge rusher Jonathon Cooper (Round 7). Nathaniel Hackett has Meinerz, who became a starter after a midseason Graham Glasgow injury, installed as the team’s starting right guard. With a Wilson extension expected to be in the $50MM-per-year ballpark on the horizon, the Broncos will need more low-cost contributors in this draft.