Von Miller Free Agency: Cowboys vs. Rams?

So ... $7.5 million? Or $8.5 million? Or $10.6 million? Which is the right answer?

The projections of a contract for free agent Von Miller, the future Hall-of-Fame-caliber pass-rusher, are all over the map, and the reason for that is understandable.

He is still a star. But there is "age on him.'' And there is an assumption that the "Football Heaven'' Los Angeles Rams sort of already have an "arrangement'' wrapped up. But ...

There will be other suitors. And the idea of Miller "coming home'' has been written about often in Dallas.

Von Miller

Von Miller

So one Rams-centric site suggests the defending champs from Los Angeles can help "run it back'' by signing Miller to "a four-year deal worth $30 million. ... that could be managed into a 2022 salary cap hit of $4.5 million.''

At an APY of $7.5 million? That doesn't seem exorbitant ... as long as it is accepted that it means Miller will be on the books at age 36.

PFF suggests a projected contract of two years and $17 million total. OK, that's $8.5 million APY. That's creeping up there a little bit. ...

And Spotrac says Miller's "average annual salary'' value is at $10.6 million and that he should get a two-year deal for a commitment of $21.2 million.

So ... $7.5 million? Or $8.5 million? Or $10.6 million? Which is the right answer? The Rams might have a feel for it. It's too early - with the free agency window opening in mid-March - for Dallas or other bidders to have answers.

But Dallas knows what it wants to do with another pass-rusher, Cowboys free agent Randy Gregory. "All our chips are in,'' one source tells CowboysSI.com. "He's the priority,'' says another.

And maybe that's the end of Dallas' involvement. But should it be?

Miller, the second-overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M, in 2021 totaled 9.5 regular-season sacks (4.5 with Denver before the trade to the Rams, five after that). In three postseason games, the former Super Bowl MVP recorded two more sacks. His 115 career sacks make the eight-time Pro Bowler an all-timer, presently No. 22 on the NFL history leaderboard, chasing the likes of Lawrence 132.5 (14th all-time) and DeMarcus Ware (ninth all-time) at 138.5. (Bruce Smith is up top with 200.)

He is and has for a decade been, in many ways, the impact pass-rusher the Cowboys dream of Gregory becoming.

Randy Gregory

Jan 30, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Von Miller hoists the George Halas Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Von Miller

Dallas was led in 2021 by rookie Micah Parsons with 13 sacks. Gregory, who the Cowboys are considering paying $15 million APY as he hits free agency, is 30 years old and was second on the team with six sacks.

If Gregory - three years younger than Miller, it is worth noting - is worth $15 million, is Miller worth $10.6 mil? Or $8.5 mil? Or $7.5 mil?

The Cowboys traditionally don't bother with exploring the higher-priced outsiders in free agency, preferring to pay their own. So maybe the Rams will have competition, but not from Dallas. And of course Dallas has cap-crunch issues to deal with without having spent a dollar yet. But the Rams would be wise to take nothing for granted here, maybe trying to prevent Miller from even taking a "free-agency tour.'' Because he's good enough to maybe make a team like Dallas re-think its plan, if only just a little bit.

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