The Denver Broncos agreed to trade star outside linebacker Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline.
In exchange for Miller, the Rams agreed to trade 2022 second- and third-round draft picks to the Broncos, according to multiple reports.
Miller is Denver’s all-time leader in sacks and one of the best players in franchise history, but trading him now before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2022 made sense, especially for a pair of high draft picks.
To acquire those picks, the Broncos agreed to pay $9 million of Miller’s remaining $10.5 million salary this season, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. That works out well for the Rams because it allows them to afford Miller, and Denver was more than willing to eat some cap space this year in exchange for more draft picks next year.
The Broncos still have almost $15 million in 2021 salary cap space that can roll over and be added to the team’s 2022 cap total. Denver also now has nine picks in the 2022 NFL draft, including five picks in the first three rounds.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, nets a star edge defender who will team up with Aaron Donald to help the Rams’ defense attempt to go on a Super Bowl run. Miller will now get a chance to compete for a second Super Bowl ring after previously leading the Broncos to a victory in Super Bowl 50 in 2015.
Denver is working toward rebuilding while Los Angeles chases a title with another star, making this trade a win-win trade for both sides.
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