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Super Bowl MVP Von Miller is currently negotiating a new contract with the Denver Broncos as he is holding out after being franchise tagged. Demanding a large contract that has yet to be offered by John Elway and the Broncos as the two sides still aren’t close to a deal to lock in Miller longterm.
Where Miller and the Broncos currently don’t see eye to eye is the guaranteed money that is being offered to stay in Denver. Miller wants more of a commitment while the Broncos are dragging their feet on attaching a massive guaranteed money figure that their MVP feels he deserves.
Recently Vic Lombardi reported that the Broncos are willing to bump up the guaranteed money by just $3 million to $61 million per season. A large number compared to most contract offers, but still far from enough as Miller should demand more guaranteed money for a variety of reasons.
Here a just a few reasons why Miller should demand the $70 million in guarantees that he reportedly wanted and more from the Broncos before ending his holdout.
1) He is 100% worth record-setting guaranteed money
Miller plays a role that is the second most valuable position in the NFL outside of quarterback and after seeing his peers get record setting money in free agency or by re-signing with their teams he has every right to hold out of his franchise tag year to attempt to get as close to a full guarantee as possible from the Broncos.
Last season it was evidenced how valuable Miller was to the Broncos as he helped carry a team that had issues on offense all season to the Super Bowl before winning the MVP award in the Broncos win over the Panthers. A game that the Broncos would have had no chance of even sniffing if not for Miller’s impact on the league’s best defense.
As the best pass rusher in football who has been the face of the Broncos defense, Miller should want more guaranteed money than any defensive player in the game. Deals to Fletcher Cox, Justin Houston and JJ Watt setting the market that the Broncos should have to increase on if they want to keep Miller.
2) The Broncos have little leverage
Another factor that Miller should consider is that the Broncos should be desperate to keep him after an offseason that featured an exodus of talent from Mile High. Both of the team’s starting quarterbacks departing along with Miller’s pass rushing co-pilot in Malik Jackson. Departures that put the pressure on locking up Miller to avoid breaking up many of the key contributors on their Super Bowl winning roster.
That need gives Miller all of the leverage in his negotiations with Elway and the Broncos. If Miller sits out one season he will still get a contract he wants down the road, but the Broncos will have zero chance of defending their AFC West crown without Miller.
It would be a massive mistake for the Broncos not to cave into Miller’s contract requests and it is hard to see why other than for loyalty would Miller accept just a $3 million increase in guaranteed money from Elway when he knows how bad the team needs him to stay in order to remain near the top of the AFC.
3) He can set a precedent in free agency
If Miller can get a high percentage of guaranteed money on his deal this summer, the door will be open for other players to do the same as NFL players continue to fight for more guaranteed money from their employers.
Miller has the opportunity to do that as he has the perfect set of circumstances that give him tons of leverage to earn what is rightfully his. A contract that is both longterm and as close to fully guaranteed as possible so that his future is secured down the road in exchange for giving the rest of his prime to the Broncos organization.
It remains to be seen if Miller is going to demand record setting guaranteed money from the Broncos still or if the $61 million re-offer will be enough to end his holdout. However, if Miller wants to get what he truly deserves and set a precedent for the rest of the NFL for how much guaranteed money elite players should earn he will continue to squabble with Elway until the numbers are right. We will see how the saga unfolds in the coming months, but if Miller was wise he would continue to make Denver squirm as long as possible to see what he is truly worth.
