Von Miller's Contract Year: What Will it Take to Return in 2022?

Welcome to the first installment of Contract Year, a series that will focus on current Broncos players who are entering the final year of their current deals with the team. We start with Von Miller.

This series will focus on Denver Broncos whose multi-year deals are nearing the end, key players who were signed to one-year deals, and those playing under restricted free agent tenders. Each are players who will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2022, unless they're signed to extensions.

The first in this series focuses on Von Miller, a key player for the Broncos for many years, but will he be retained after 2021? Let's dive in.

Career Highlights

Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, finished with 11.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, and 29 QB hurries his rookie season. It led to him winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

The following year, Miller set the Broncos' single-season record for sacks with 18.5, breaking the record of 17 previously held by Elvis Dumervil and Simon Fletcher.

Suspended six games in 2013 for violating the NFL's drug-testing policy, Miller returned to the lineup after serving his suspension, but his season ended in December because of a torn ACL. He returned in 2014 and played at a high level again, and then came 2015, when he was part of a dominant Broncos defense that was instrumental in the team winning Super Bowl 50. 

Miller had 2.5 sacks and an interception off Tom Brady in the AFC title game against the New England Patriots, then 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles against Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in the Super Bowl, receiving Super Bowl MVP honors.

After getting the franchise tag in 2016, Miller signed a six-year, $114.5 million contract that made him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL at the time. He remained a dominant force on the defense that year and the next two seasons as he reached the 100-sack career mark in 2018.

Miller was named to his sixth straight Pro Bowl in 2019, but in 2020, he tore a tendon in his ankle just before the season started and missed the entire campaign.

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Why he May Return in 2022

Miller has emerged as one of the leaders on the defense and has become a more positive influence on the locker room. He showed in 2018 that he and Bradley Chubb could be a dominant pass-rushing duo. 

Because Miller has been one of the best Broncos defensive players in team history, it would be nice to see him finish his career with the team that drafted him.

Why he May Not Return in 2022

Miller is 32 years old and it's worth asking whether his best years are behind him, particularly as he returns from a serious injury. Meanwhile, Chubb enters the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and will be looking for a big contract, just as Miller received in 2016. 

Even if Miller comes back strong in 2021, it will be difficult to keep him, plus pay Chubb and extend others who may be deserving.

2021 Outlook

Miller playing at a high level is certainly what Broncos fans want to see because his presence makes the defense better. He and Chubb have seldom been on the field together since Vic Fangio took over as head coach, so it would be great to see how the two of them perform in a full season in Fangio's defense.

Verdict

This is truly a situation that could go either way. Miller certainly needs to play well in 2021 to have a chance to stay with the team. If he does, then it all depends on how much he seeks in a new contract and how much the Broncos are willing to pay him. 

A strong 2021campaign wouldn't guarantee he remains a Bronco, though, because new general manager George Paton may believe it's better to keep the younger players in the fold than extend an aging veteran, even one as popular as Miller.

Odds he'll stay after 2021: 50-50

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