The Broncos have until mid-March to decide whether to pick up the contract option on outside linebacker , but general manager needed no time to indicate the franchise’s intentions to do so when asked Monday.
Once the contract option is picked up, and Miller can’t be officially notified until five days after the , $6 million of his 2020 salary becomes guaranteed.
“Von played very well (Sunday against Oakland) and he’s going to get better and I think Von still has a lot of football in him — a lot,” Elway said. “I would say that I think he can still play better than he played this year. I would tell that to him in my office. He cares about it and thatap the key.”
Miller finished the season with 46 tackles. His eight sacks were his fewest in a full season.
Following the Broncos’ Week 15 loss at Kansas City, Miller expressed concern and frustration about the team’s direction. Elway didn’t have an issue with the comments.
“I think thatap part of being a competitor,” Elway said. “I think the frustration came (from) how we played against the Chiefs because we didn’t play well in either game (losses of 30-6 and 23-3).”
Elway talks Lindsay. Last New Year’s Eve, was prepping for a trip, although he was injured. As the calendar flips to 2020, its sounds as if the Broncos’ second-year tailback will be preparing for a raise in the New Year.
“We’ll look at that, obviously,” Elway said. “We’ll get back again when we start planning and budgeting for 2020, where we are money-wise.”
Lindsay this past Sunday became the first undrafted player in modern NFL history to post consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons over his first two years in the league. The former Denver South and CU Buffs standout took home a base salary of $570,000 in 2019, the second of a three-year deal.
Undrafted free agents are allowed to receive contract extensions after their second season. Draft picks must wait until after their third year.
“As Vic said (Sunday) night, there’s 32 dum-dums that didn’t draft him, and I’m one of them,” Elway said of Lindsay, who rushed for 1,011 yards on 224 carries in 2019. “And thank God we talked him into coming here.
“He’s been tremendous, he’s got a heart the size of his whole body, and the way he works himself. And we’ll look at that. We’ll see where we are, budget-wise, and that would be something that we’ll look at.”
Simmons a priority. Safety Justin Simmons, who played every defensive snap for the second consecutive year, is a free agent and Elway stated his goal Monday to re-sign him.
“We want him back,” Elway said. “I talked to Justin and sad, ‘You know what, we want you back.’ He’s a great football player, but he’s a better man. Just the type of guy he is, itap the type of guy we want on this football team. Obviously, we have the franchise (tag) option but we’d like to get something done with Justin for the long term.”
