As Friday approaches, the contract tiff between Von Miller and the Broncos is getting a little more ugly. On Monday, Miller called the franchise tag a "league-wide problem," adding he would refuse to sign it. Then, on Tuesday, one of Miller's teammates took a subtle shot at the Super Bowl MVP for his unwillingness to take a pay cut.
Defensive lineman Derek Wolfe, who re-upped with the Broncos this offseason, acknowledged that he took a pay cut -- or as he put it, a "haircut" -- to remain in Denver. He then not-so-subtly ripped Miller for not doing the same.
"Business is business, and that's his business. And he has to do what he's got to do," Wolfe told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "Obviously, I took a different route and decided that this is where I wanted to be so I'm going to take a significant haircut to stay here and that's fine with me. But some people don't feel that way."
Wild guess here, but I'm betting "some people" is actually Von Miller. Again, it's just a guess.
After a 5.5-sack, 12-game season, Wolfe signed a four-year, $36.7 million extension with a $7.5 million signing bonus and $17.5 million guaranteed. Miller, of course, won't be signing for that cheap. When CBS Sports contributor Joel Corry, a former agent, provided a roadmap for the two sides, he wrote that a fair deal should include $45 million guaranteed at signing. And that make sense, given Miller racked up 16 sacks in the regular season and playoffs.
To be clear, Miller and Wolfe aren't the same caliber of player, which is why Miller got franchise tagged and isn't ready to take a pay cut like Wolfe was. It's easier for Wolfe -- still a very, very good player -- to accept less money to remain with a historically great defense that maximizes his strengths than it is for Miller, who's coming off a dominant postseason and may never enter free agency again with this kind of leverage.
Just because Wolfe took a pay cut doesn't mean Miller should. It also doesn't make Miller a bad teammate. As Wolfe said, "business is business." Wolfe can take less money to stay on a great team, Miller deserves the right to go after every penny he feels he earned, and the Broncos are allowed to flex the franchise tag during negotiations.
Besides, as we all know, the Broncos and Miller will most likely work out a deal on or immediately before deadline day. That's just how these things tend to work.
