Trading Von Miller was inevitable.
After beating up on the worst of the NFL in the first 3 weeks of the season, by Week 8, the Broncos know exactly who they are. The team I predicted we would be if we chose Teddy Bridgewater to be our starting quarterback. Not one of the NFL’s worst teams, but not a team to be taken seriously either. After beating the Washington Football Team in one of the most uninspiring wins in the history of the franchise, the writing was on the wall for our beloved Denver Broncos. And that writing said, in big, bold letters:
START OVER.
So do I blame management for trading Von Miller? Absolutely not. It needed to be done. And unlike the Colorado Rockies, who are an absolute dumpster fire of an organization, the Broncos did right by their face of the franchise. Not only did they send Von to the LA Rams, who have a legitimate shot at a Super Bowl this year, but they also got some damn good compensation in return.
I just wish things had turned out differently for Von here in Denver.
Since being drafted #2 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, Von Miller has been everything Broncos fans had hoped and wished he’d be as John Elway’s first official draft pick. After struggling initially with bad injury luck and minor legal issues, Mr. Miller quickly grew into the face of the franchise. Along the way he became the Broncos all time sack leader, the true leader of one of the best defenses of all time, and a Super Bowl MVP.
Although his on field accomplishments were above and beyond whatever expectations we might have had when we drafted him, it was just part of why we loved the man. I would argue Von Miller was the most likable Denver sports figure since #7 was donning the orange and blue. He was always a great interview, he has multiple charitable organizations within the Denver metro area, and his unwavering optimism (often times hopeless optimism), always made fans like me excited to put on my #58 jersey and support the only football team I knew and loved.
Von Miller is truly one of a kind.
And he deserved better.
The last 5 years for Von and the Broncos have been abysmal. There’s no other way of putting it. We’ve gone through quarterbacks at a faster pace than the early 2000’s Browns. Head coaches too. The man who made the Denver Broncos who they are, Pat Bowlen, battled Alzheimer’s and eventually passed away, leaving the ownership of the team to his children who are half crazy and half incapable. Quite frankly, for a once proud and historic franchise, nothing has gone right since Peyton Manning left.
The hardest part to swallow about all of that? It was in the midst of Von Miller’s prime. The prime of the best defensive player the Broncos have ever had. And it was mostly wasted.
That sucks.
The obvious silver lining is that, at the height of his powers, he more or less single handedly won us a Super Bowl…
And don’t get me wrong, I’ll take it.
I just wish we could have done more.
More than just a single winning season since 2015. More than finishing his career in Denver with an 11 game losing streak against the rival Chiefs. More than just a solid defense and nothing else.
But here we are. On the precipice of a rebuild that is 5 years overdue.
The Broncos are doing the right thing by trading Von Miller. While they’re at it they should get what they can for Melvin Gordon, Tim Patrick, Kareem Jackson, Teddy Bridgewater, and everyone else who’s on the last year of their contracts with this team. If this is the direction we’re going, for the love of god, go all in. Enough of this one foot in, one foot out shit. Broncos fans are tired of being mediocre. We have a solid core of young players. Now build on it.
As for Von Miller, he deserves another shot at a Super Bowl.
Unfortunately that will not be with the Denver Broncos.
