BRONCOS

Rapoport doubts Von Miller will hit free agent market

Feb 25, 2021, 4:55 PM | Updated: Mar 1, 2021, 1:08 pm

While NFL Insider Ian Rapoport thinks the Denver Broncos won’t pick up the club option on Von Miller’s contract this offseason, he said he believes the prolific pass rusher won’t see the free agent market either.

Joining the “Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday, Rapoport said he believes Miller would have a lot of suitors as a free agent but the situation won’t ever get to that point.

“If he’s free, he’s going to have a very good market,” Rapoport said. “I will say at this point, I doubt that he’s free.”

Instead of exercising Miller’s club option before the start of the NFL league year on March 17, Rapoport said he thinks the “two sides get together and make it make sense.”

“He wants to finish his career in Denver. He’s awesome. (He) missed last year with an injury. They have cap space,” Rapoport said. “It’s hard to get better by letting one of your best players walk, so I would imagine there’ll be some sort of compromise to smooth out his cap hit and make it make sense.”

The club option guarantees Miller $7 million of his $18 million salary in 2021 — the final year of his contract.

Earlier this week, 9News Broncos Insider Mike Klis told “Orlando & Sandy” one of the options on the table would be a restructured deal that would keep Miller in orange and blue past 2021 and save the Broncos in terms of salary cap space.

For instance, Denver could take Miller’s $18 million salary in 2021 and turn it into $30 million over three seasons at a $10 million per year clip.

“That’s what I think George Paton and the Broncos will try to do. Now, Von has to accept that,” Klis said.

Whether Miller accepts a restructured deal is a different story, as the All-Pro bristled at the idea in a tense interview with “Stokley & Zach” in October.

Broncos

Broncos fans...

Will Petersen

Broncos better be careful, or they won’t be Colorado’s favorite team

The Broncos are sharing a town with Nikola Jokic and Nathan MacKinnon, and if they can't get it together, they'll no longer be the top dog

32 minutes ago

Steve Tensi...

Andrew Mason

Former Broncos quarterback Steve Tensi passes away

Steve Tensi, who quarterbacked the Denver Broncos for four seasons in their early years, died at the age of 81.

5 hours ago

Josh Dobbs...

Andrew Mason

Another QB drops off the market, so, which veteran quarterbacks are left?

Cross another free-agent quarterback off the available list, as Josh Dobbs joined the San Francisco 49ers on Monday.

6 hours ago

J.J. McCarthy...

Jake Shapiro

New favorite emerges to select J.J. McCarthy in NFL Draft

Sean Payton may have found who he wants to be the next QB of the Denver Broncos but will Michigan's J.J. McCarthy still be on the board

11 hours ago

Kirk Cousins Broncos...

Andrew Mason

Report: Broncos ‘touched base’ with agent of Kirk Cousins before he went to Falcons

Kirk Cousins almost certainly wasn't coming to Denver, but the Broncos had interest -- if his price came down in free agency.

12 hours ago

Courtland Sutton's contract...

Will Petersen

Broncos make move with Courtland Sutton’s contract worth noting

Mike Klis notes that the Broncos picked up Courtland Sutton's full $2 million injury guarantee on his contact for the 2024 season

14 hours ago

Rapoport doubts Von Miller will hit free agent market