The Broncos took a significant step in contract talks with outside linebacker Von Miller, and now wait to see if it will help the sides reach the finish line on a landmark long-term deal.
General manager John Elway made multiple proposals to Miller on Thursday and Friday, moving on how much is guaranteed for the first three years of the deal, long a sticking point. It left them feeling like they were in a good place. Miller’s camp mulled the new offer Saturday with the third year guaranteed by March 2017, but there was no movement by early evening.
The deadline for franchise players to sign a multiyear contract is 2 p.m. Friday. Miller prefers to reach an accord sooner, , which was resolved with less than 30 minutes remaining.
Miller, who is expected to be at The ESPYs this week with teammates, accepted the overall value and length of , which would make him the highest-paid nonquarterback in the league. The sides did not agree, however, on the amount and pay structure of the guaranteed money.
The Broncos’ June proposal included $38.5 million fully guaranteed at signing, with an additional $1.3 million to be earned in workout bonuses. The third year of the offer was guaranteed for injury only and not guaranteed for skill until the fifth day of the new league year. In their latest proposal, the Broncos moved the $19 million salary for the third year — 2018 — up a year so itap earned by March 2017. That would leave $57.5 million paid out in the first nine months, surpassing Fletcher Cox’s recent structure of $55.55 million in that same span with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Miller is likely seeking in excess of $60 million guaranteed and was given an apples-to-apples comparable by the Eagles. The Eagles gave Cox, who like Miller is not a free agent, a six-year, $103 million contract extension, with $63 million guaranteed.
The Broncos made it known they wanted Miller back when they placed the exclusive franchise tag on him in March. It prevented other teams from negotiating with the Super Bowl 50 MVP. The tag guarantees Miller approximately $14.1 million for one season, but he has yet to sign it and he skipped offseason workouts to gain leverage in facilitating a long-term deal.
