'Trying to Come Home': Who Did Former Rams LB Von Miller Call Before Bills Signing?

Von Miller had a specific home in mind at the onset of free agency

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller had a plan as he entered free agency this offseason. And he didn't have Los Angeles on his mind.

After the NFL free-agency period started, Miller called former Denver Broncos teammate DeMarcus Ware in an attempt to judge the Cowboys' interest in bringing him home, per the Dallas Morning News.

“I remember when Von called me he said ‘Hey is Dallas interested? I’m a free agent.'" Ware said. "And I said, ‘What?! You’re a free agent, what do you mean you’re a free agent? I thought you had one more year?’ He was like, ‘No I’m done [with the Rams], bro.’ He said 'Call Jerry [Jones] and them and see what they want to do.’ I said 'Are you trying to get them to empty the bank account? What you trying to do?'"

Ware played with Miller for three seasons in Denver after a nine-year run in Dallas and immediately saw the value in adding Miller to the Cowboys' already dangerous defense. Putting Miller on the field alongside DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons would total 172 combined career sacks for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to utilize.

“So now you would have had that three-headed monster. Think about this: Von Miller. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. I don’t know who is coming. That’s what we still need. We still need that right defensive end or outside linebacker guy that can play a little bit interior. Can drop a little bit. That sack perennial athlete.”

The Cowboys were, of course, strapped for cash with little wiggle room under the salary cap. So much so that they made cash-saving moves like trading wideout Amari Cooper to Cleveland for next to nothing, and releasing right tackle La'el Collins.

Miller played high school football near Dallas and went to college at Texas A&M.

“So now you would have had that three-headed monster. Think about this: Von Miller. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. I don’t know who is coming. That’s what we still need. We still need that right defensive end or outside linebacker guy that can play a little bit interior. Can drop a little bit. That sack perennial athlete.”

Miller expressed interest in returning to Los Angeles but eventually took the money in Buffalo, signing a six-year, $120 million deal with $51.4 million in guaranteed money.

Cowboys and Rams fans are left wondering what might've been.

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You can follow Timm Hamm on Twitter at @IndyCarTim

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