To read the news today you’re eyes might bug out of your head a little when you see that the Denver Broncos and franchise-tagged free agent outside linebacker Von Miller turned down a six-year, $114.5 million contract offer.
Broncos proposed 6-yr, $114.5M deal to Von Miller that includes $39.8M gtd in first 2 years, per sources close to Denver. No deal in sight.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 8, 2016
When you work a regular job, worry about utility bills and your kid’s college tuition, numbers like that will naturally blow your mind. But an NFL contract is a unique thing. If Miller were to sign that contract, there’s no guarantee at all he’d $114.5 million at all.
And that $39.8 million guaranteed money is a little fuzzy math too. Miller actually would get $38.5 guaranteed and the other $1.3 million would come from work out bonuses. I know, I know. All that still sounds like a lot of money. But here’s the thing. Miller is worth more than that in guaranteed money.
The contract Miller eventually signs will likely still be for the same overall numbers. What the Broncos are going to have to do is is cough up more guaranteed cash. The current high-water mark in guaranteed money at Miller’s position is Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston. Houston signed a six-year, $101 million contract, which math would tell you is $13.5 million less than Miller’s. But, Houston’s deal comes with $52.5 million in guaranteed money and that’s significantly higher than Miller’s $38.5 million.
Not to say it can't get done, but it will be very difficult for Denver and Von Miller to reach long-term agreement by July 15 deadline.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 8, 2016
The franchise tag deadline is July 15 and it’s a risk for both Miller and the Broncos to let it go that far. For Miller, he’ll still make a ton of money this season by signing the tag, but if he got injured there’d be no security for him long-term. For the Broncos, the risk is pissing Miller off. He could conceivable sit out the whole year and the Broncos would lose their Exclusive Rights Franchise status. He could still be franchised, but it would be the regular tag and all another team has to do is offer a first and a third round pick as compensation and he could start negotiating with them. Plus, Miller is a good guy. He’s one of those locker room glue guys that makes the whole team a family. There’s no reason to prolong this.
More intrigue! RT @JamesPalmerTV: According to a team source, talks between Von Miller & the Broncos are still ongoing, have not broken off
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 8, 2016
But the Broncos have. After Miller turned down the deal, the team reportedly took it off the table, then didn’t. It’s kind of up in the air. If Denver franchises Miller again next year and no other team bites, which I think is ridiculous, they’d still have paid him $30 million over two years and that would all be guaranteed money. Why on earth would he sign a deal that barely pays him more than that?
Every contract a player and and NFL team puts together is a gamble. The player is gambling the NFL team won’t just cut them at a whim to save cap space. The team is gambling that the player won’t get hurt or his performance won’t immediately drop. It’s just the way it is. But play the game, Broncos. You drafted the guy. You won a Super Bowl with him and lost the only other Super Bowl you played in recently without him.
In a perfect world for both Miller and the Broncos he’d play at a high level and earn every penny of that $114. 5 million. So roll with it. Football is a gambler’s sport after all.
No news is bad news for Malcolm Butler
He won the New England Patriots a Super Bowl without cheating two years ago and last season made the Pro Bowl. For some reason that still hasn’t made the team willing to work on an extension for cornerback Malcolm Butler, who has become one of the best players on their defense.
Butler skipped the first week of organized team activities because of the impasse, at first claiming it was a, and this is the exact quote, “family issue or something like that.”
On his contract status, CB Malcolm Butler said, "It is what it is. I'm going to play hard, no matter what." #Patriots
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) June 7, 2016
Butler is scheduled to make $600,000 this season, playing out the final year of his rookie contract. In comparison, Pats cornerback Tarrell Brown is making $1.5 million last year, started just two games and only played in three.
