The Rams paid a hefty price to acquire seven-time All-Pro pass rusher Von Miller ahead of the trade deadline, and they beat out two teams they are battling for the top seed in the NFC to do so.
The Cardinals and Cowboys were also inquiring about Miller, league sources said, and while they lacked the degree of aggression the Rams ultimately displayed, their interest in landing the future Hall of Famer was real. Several NFL GMs viewed Miller as the most likely star player to be dealt ahead of last Tuesday's deadline, with his contract expiring after the season and the Broncos under new management in 2021 with rookie GM George Paton. The Rams were the most persistent team for his services.
The Rams were already in Super-Bowl-or bust mode after paying a steep price for quarterback Matthew Stafford in the offseason, and the Miller trade was very in line with their organizational philosophy. The Rams were very much aware that other top NFC teams were displaying the most interest in Miller, who they viewed as a difference maker joining a defense that already includes all-time great defensive lineman Aaron Donald and top corner Jalen Ramsey.
Los Angeles is hosting the Super Bowl in the stadium owner Stan Kroenke self-financed to construct, and with fans in that stadium for the first time this season, ownership is committed to trying to capture that market and put the best product possible on the field. Miller is not as twitchy as he once was and has battled some injuries later in his career, but he is reinvigorated by the change of scenery, I'm told, and the opportunity to join a top Super Bowl contender.
The Rams are very short on 2022 draft capital, but are progressive and proactive about alternative means of team building, and with the cap going up significantly next year, believe they will have flexibility to continue to add talent in other ways.
