According to Mile High Sports Radio host Gil Whiteley, credible sources claim that Broncos general manager John Elway is accepting calls from teams that want to make an offer for Von Miller.
Mark Cooper, former Broncos lineman, joined Whiteley on Mile High Sports Radio AM1340/ FM 104.7 to discuss Denver’s possible replacement options if Miller does in fact sit out or get traded.
“You got a couple of credible backups,” Cooper said. “You got a defense that pretty much is still going to be in order. You got two pretty capable kids right behind Von.”
The two backups Cooper is referring to is Shaquil Barrett, the third-year player from Colorado State who was part of the practice squad during his first season, and Shane Ray, the Broncos first-round draft pick in 2015 out of Missouri.
Ray totaled 20 tackles and four sacks during his rookie campaign and is expected to play a lot more snaps this year. As a first-round pick, the Broncos knew Ray was going to contribute sooner rather than later, even with two all-time pass rushers in front of him. If called into duty in 2017, he should be ready.
Barrett, though, is a different story. As an undrafted free agent, Barrett wasn’t gifted anything by the Broncos. He worked for his spot on the roster, and he proved why he earned it last season. He may not have the pure natural talent of a guy like Miller, or even Ray, but he, too, could step into a bigger role this season if asked.
The question, though, is whether these two youngsters can make up for Miller’s absence. Clearly, the answer is no, but with record-breaking contracts taken into the equation, it may make more sense for the franchise long term.
“He’s a complete player,” Cooper said, “but are you going to pay those type of dollars for that guy, when you have a couple capable guys behind him?”
To hear more discussion about Von Miller and the Broncos’ possible replacement options, listen below …
Catch Gil Whiteley every weekday from 11a-1p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.
