Von Miller’s place in Broncos history is secure. One of the best defensive players in franchise history, Miller led Denver to a win in Super Bowl 50 and stands alone as the only player in Broncos history with more than 100 sacks.
Like most stars in today’s NFL, playing for only one team ultimately wasn’t realistic for Miller. His time in Denver ended rather abruptly in 2021, with a midseason deal that sent him to the Rams. He would won his second Super Bowl three months later.
Now, Miller is set to face the Broncos for the first time as the Bills host Denver on “Monday Night Football.” It isn’t the same as playing in front of Broncos fans, but Monday night will undoubtedly provoke some emotions for the future Hall of Famer.
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Here’s a look back at why Miller left the Broncos and what Denver got out of the deadline deal for a franchise icon.
Why did Von Miller leave the Broncos?
Miller didn’t exactly leave the Broncos on his own, as it was a trade that sent him to Los Angeles, but both he and the franchise seemed to agree it was the right time to part ways when the deal was struck on Nov. 1, 2021.
Broncos GM George Paton confirmed in the hours after the trade that he and Miller spoke before going forward with the deal.
“Von and I had a positive, honest conversation this morning about our team as well as his own future. As I told Von, we wanted to do right not only for the Broncos, but also for him personally with everything he has meant to this organization,” Paton said at the time.
Miller was in the final year of his contract with the Broncos, who didn’t have a realistic path to the playoffs at the time. By dealing Miller to a contender, Denver gave Miller a chance to win a championship while ensuring the franchise recouped some value rather than lose Miller for nothing more than a compensatory pick in the offseason.
The chance to win a Super Bowl became reality in the months that followed. Miller helped the Rams win Super Bowl 56, securing his second ring. He then was able to cash in on a lucrative deal with the Bills in the offseason.
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Miller was emotional in his first comments after the trade but reflected positively on his time in Denver, saying, “We’ll always have Super Bowl 50. Seeing the pictures when I was walking out, it just made me tear up. But we always got Super Bowl 50. I always got Broncos country.”
In an era of player movement, the Broncos stuck by Miller longer than most franchises would despite struggling for several years. Miller arguably did the same, never asking to be moved despite Denver’s inability to rebuild the team into a contender.
The Broncos welcomed Miller and his high salary back in 2021, despite the three-time All-Pro missing the entire 2020 season with an injury and being 32 years old. It was an amicable split for the two sides in 2021, and Miller shared his affection for the franchise in comments to reporters earlier this week.
“For me, it’s like I didn’t want to leave, you know? I cried real tears when I left,” Miller said, calling it a “treat” to see the Broncos winning their last two games and finding some success after a rough start to this season.
Miller, who is still easing his way into action after suffering a torn ACL on Thanksgiving last season, will be looking for his first sack of the year when he faces Russell Wilson and the Broncos on Monday night.
Von Miller trade details
The Broncos received two Day 2 picks from the Rams in exchange for Miller.
Rams receive
- Von Miller
Broncos receive
- 2022 2nd-round pick
- 2022 3rd-round pick
So, what did Denver get out of those two picks? The second-round pick landed at No. 64 overall, the last pick of the round due to the Rams’ Super Bowl win, and the Broncos used it to select edge rusher Nik Bonitto. Bonitto played a limited role as a rookie but has 5.5 sacks and 13 QB hits through eight games in an expanded role this season.
The Broncos traded the third-round pick (No. 96 overall) to the Colts for a 2022 fifth-round pick and 2023 third-round pick. The fifth-round pick was then dealt to Green Bay, with the Broncos moving up eight slots to select center Luke Wattenberg. Wattenberg has made one start to this point.
The 2023 third-round pick from Indianapolis turned into linebacker Drew Sanders, who has started four games as a rookie for the Broncos this season.
The jury is still largely out on what turned into a three-player haul for the Broncos, but Bonitto continues to play a role in replacing Miller (as well as Bradley Chubb) as one of Denver’s most impactful pass-rushers.