Peyton Manning weighs in on the Broncos' contract standoff with Von Miller
The Sheriff says a deal will get done between the Broncos and Super Bowl MVP before July 15
•
2 min read
Now that he's retired, Peyton Manning is free to spend his summer months however the heck he wants to spend them. The ongoing quarterback battle in Denver? That's of no concern for him. Von Miller's contract standoff with the Broncos? Maybe in the past he'd be worried about losing his teammate to a holdout, but that's no longer something he has to worry about.
Except, of course, when TMZ finds Manning at the airport and asks for his take on the situation, which is exactly what happened. When TMZ bumped into the former Colts and Broncos quarterback, questions about Miller's lack of a contract ensued.
According to Manning, there's nothing to worry about. The deal will get done.
"I think Von will re-sign," Manning said in the TMZ video. "I do not see that being a problem at all."
"Obviously that's the business part of it. I know both sides want to work it out. I know he wants to be in Denver. Denver wants him. So I think it'll work out. I'm pulling for him."
(Of note: Manning isn't just pulling for the Broncos and Miller -- he's pulling for nearly 20 percent of the entire league).
Miller and Elway reportedly spoke on the phone this past weekend, but the conversation never broached the giant, multi-million dollar elephant in the room. Instead, as the Denver Post and ESPN both reported, the two sides simply re-opened up communication with Elway letting Miller know that the Broncos still love their Super MVP sack machine. Miller took down quarterbacks 11 times in the regular season and added five more in the postseason.
All of this is expected. The Broncos and Miller don't need to reach an agreement on a contract until July 15, and it would be surprising if the two sides sign paperwork ahead of time. Remember last summer, when Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, and Justin Houston all signed their respective long-term deals on deadline day?
A similar scenario should play out in Denver this summer. So, it makes sense then that the Broncos and Miller are speaking again with July 15 looming. CBS Sports' Joel Corry, a former agent, provided a roadmap once the two sides begin talking numbers:
The Broncos need to recognize Miller's contract should be structured similar to Fletcher Cox's recent six-year, $102.6 million extension with the Philadelphia Eagles containing a non-quarterback record $63.299 million in guarantees. In Cox's deal, $36.299 million is fully guaranteed. $55.549 million of Cox's deal will be fully guaranteed early next March. Having Miller's 2018 guarantee in his third contract year vest on a comparable time frame will give him $58 million fully guaranteed by next February or early March. This aspect of the deal will be more important to Miller than topping Cox's $63.299 million of overall guarantees.
In fewer than 10 days, Miller will likely be a rich man. Well, a much richer man.
