The NFL offseason provides us with some time to consider endless hypotheticals. And with some big names facing some question marks this season and head into next year’s offseason, why not have a little fun with it?
The most notable player facing contract problems right now is Denver Broncos pass rusher Von Miller. The team placed the franchise tag on him, but he has said he will not play under it this season. The two sides reportedly were in agreement on a six year contract worth $114 million in total, but could not come to terms on guaranteed money. Miller could elect to sit out the season, and the team would not be able to again place the exclusive franchise tag on him. That would open up the door for another team to sign him to a sufficient tender next year.
Our friends at Silver & Black Pride would likely love to see Miller out of the division. They wouldn’t mind him wearing silver and black, but if Miller can leave the AFC West, that would represent a sizable shift. And so, they took a look at some potential hypotheticals with regard to Miller. Specifically, they looked at what it might take to see Miller dealt to them, and also to the 49ers.
In discussing the 49ers, S&BP talked about the idea of dealing Miller for quarterback Colin Kaepernick and some draft picks. The 49ers and Broncos seemed close to a deal, with money getting in the way. The Broncos wanted either Kaepernick to take a pay cut, or the 49ers to pay some of his salary. The Broncos were believed to be offering a fourth round pick, but the draft pick compensation was never fully realized given that the deal did not happen.
The Broncos seem fully committed at this point to a quarterback depth chart of Mark Sanchez, Trevor Siemian, and Paxton Lynch. But if they did think Kaepernick would be an upgrade for the short term, I suppose a Miller deal could potentially end up on the table. I doubt it ever will, but it’s interesting to consider. Especially because the 49ers are one team that could easily afford a long-term deal. Considering all their cap space, the team could potentially front-load a deal. Or, if they were concerned about the 2017-2020 minimum cash spending requirement (more on that on Wednesday), they could come up with some kind of option bonus or fully guaranteed portion of Miller’s base salary in 2017 and beyond. The money is really not an issue.
It would certainly be a fascinating turn of events. It’s not going to happen, but that doesn’t mean we can’t think of what it could all mean. Both sides move a player the front office might view as a headache for one reason or another. The 49ers will hope for big things from Eli Harold and/or Tank Carradine, but if you could stick Von Miller in that pass rush opposite Aaron Lynch? Oh boy, that would be something else.