Where will future Hall of Fame pass rusher Von Miller land in 2022 NFL Free Agency? We take a look at his top three potential destinations.
The Los Angeles Rams are no strangers to making big trades for big-name veteran players these days. The Rams haven’t had a first-round draft pick since they took Jared Goff first overall in the 2016 NFL Draft thanks to a plethora of deals they’ve made since then.
One of the biggest trades they made in 2021 (yes, there was more than just one) was the deal during the 2021 season to acquire Denver Broncos star pass rusher Von Miller.
For the price of a 2nd-and-3rd-round pick, Miller was both a great value for the Rams as well as someone who brought great value back to the Denver Broncos. This trade was the true definition of a win-win-win, as Miller now gets the chance to play in the Super Bowl again six years after he won MVP of Super Bowl 50.
Von Miller should have a short list of destinations in 2022 NFL Free Agency
Although Miller should undoubtedly be a highly coveted player in 2022 NFL Free Agency, his list of potential destinations will almost undoubtedly be smaller than you might think.
Miller has had a wide variety of coaches through the years, and the ones he might be considered most loyal to are not in the league anymore, namely, former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
Connections and destination matter a lot here, more so than the money which is likely to be very similar no matter where Miller ends up. Let’s take a look at three possible destinations for Miller in 2022 and perhaps the three most likely spots.
Von Miller FA destination No. 1: Los Angeles Rams
One of the top options for Von Miller in 2022 free agency? Sticking around with the Los Angeles Rams.
Although Miller has been a member of the Denver Broncos for the vast majority of his decade-plus in the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams have been a good working situation for him.
The Rams didn’t just trade two premium draft selections for Miller to let him walk in free agency without an offer, in all likelihood, but they will also probably have no issues making some other trade at some point for another pass rusher if they need to.
The Rams acquired Miller to get exactly where they are right now — in the Super Bowl. If they win or lose Super Bowl LVI, I don’t think either outcome has any bearing on whether or not Miller would choose to stay or leave.
This organization has become a good working environment for coaches and players alike. If he re-signs with the Rams, Miller would essentially be almost certainly booking another ticket for the NFL’s final four next season.
That has to mean something to him at this point as he has established a legacy in the NFL that is now just growing.
The one thing with staying in Los Angeles is, Miller is not the alpha on this defense. He’s a role player. This LA Rams defense is Aaron Donald’s with Jalen Ramsey close behind.
Does Miller want to sign up to be a supporting actor in Hollywood, in the name of winning? I tend to think there’s less of a chance of this than people assume, but the Rams did show Miller a lot of love by trading for him, and that will mean something to him.
Von Miller FA destination No. 2: Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys will need to climb out of the current salary cap hole they are in, which is doable.
If they can do that, I think we can start legitimately talking about this as maybe the most likely outcome for Von Miller’s 2022 free agency.
Aside from his loyalty to the Denver Broncos, Miller takes great pride in being a Texas native. He has a home in Texas. He played college ball at Texas A&M where he also learned how to be a chicken farmer (true story) and he owns a substantial chicken farm to this day.
Playing for the Dallas Cowboys has probably been a dream of Miller’s for a long time, considering he’s basically a real-life cowboy off the football field.
Being able to play football in the state of Texas again and for a contender like the Dallas Cowboys? That might just be the ideal way for him to finish out his NFL career.
Not to mention, it would be a fascinating contrast to the way Miller’s mentor DeMarcus Ware finished out his NFL career, going from the Dallas Cowboys to the Denver Broncos and helping push the Broncos over the edge of their funk that had lasted since the 90s.
Miller would get to go to Dallas and play for Dan Quinn and alongside some absolute studs on that young Dallas defense.
Von Miller 2022 FA destination No. 3: Denver Broncos
Perhaps even more than the Dallas Cowboys option, I think there’s a very real chance that Von Miller will return to the Denver Broncos in the 2022 offseason.
Maybe not, maybe I’m wrong about that. But Miller has been very vocal about the fact that he didn’t want to be traded and that if Broncos GM George Paton hadn’t traded him, he would still be in Denver trying to “figure it out”.
Miller bleeds orange and blue, and loyalty is just part of who he is. He never asked to be traded by the Broncos and was always vocal about wanting to be part of the solution in the team’s down years after Super Bowl 50.
Ironically, I think being traded to the Rams has actually increased the chances we see Miller return to Denver.
Now, instead of spending another postseason watching, Miller gets to play in the Super Bowl again. That piece of him has been reignited.
Rams passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Ejiro Evero is heading to the Denver Broncos after the Super Bowl to be Nathaniel Hackett’s new defensive coordinator. Miller could follow him right back to the Mile High City where he has a great deal of respect for George Paton for putting him in this position to win a title when he could have traded him anywhere.
Perhaps Miller will have closed the book on a return to the Broncos and would prefer to land elsewhere, but he also understands his legacy as an NFL player is in orange and blue, and he might just prefer to finish his career where it all started.
The Broncos, as it turns out, have a need in the pass rush department and will be active in looking for players off the edge.