Von Miller to Bills

[Mackeyser]

I know they will. I trust Snead and McVay unconditionally. I just don’t see an edge rusher aside from Hunter who deserves a long term deal, or - more to my problem with Miller - an elite edge rusher in along with maybe a Myles Jack, if Miller had let the team know that he wasn’t signing here.

If he had merely done that, I would not have the animosity toward him that I currently have. But Miller played coy, lied to fans and the media about “loving L.A.” and “wanting to stay”. In doing that, he fucked over our plans. We haven’t gotten an elite edge, and Miller left us high and dry.

I feel that.

If his peeps had just said, "look, we want $17M+ and 3 years guaranteed, that might have done it.

There's NO WAY Miller sees that 4th year... Also, if he retires after 1 year (injuries suck and playing in that really cold, wet weather put extra mileage on the joints), the Bills are gonna be hosed.

I'm feeling better about moving on (only because of the contract), but I really would have liked better communication, if for no other reason than like you stated, we missed on several other possibilities chasing Von and while it was nice for his ego, he ultimately put the Rams in a tougher spot.

Not saying Von shouldn't grab that bag while it's there and not saying we should have paid anything, cuz we shouldn't. You'll notice Denver wasn't remotely gonna upend its roster for Von and they will likely ultimately sign him to a one day contract so he can retire a Bronco.

I dunno if we try for Danielle Hunter, if we try for Bobby Wagner (not sure how the Chargers make him work with the several big signings/trades they've made) or if we try for an upgrade like Gilmore at CB... or if we just say fuck it and roll with what we got since our division is kinda down this year and the plan has been all along for these guys to step up.

I dunno, but it don't feel good right now.

That said, the only feel good that ultimately matters is the Super Bowl and I'm gonna go back to focusing on that for a bit because just focusing on the players we've lost without confirmed news of AD or Stafford's or OBJ's new contracts/extensions is making me sad.

We won the Super Bowl and I have the credit card bill to prove it, dammit!!!

 

[Mackeyser]

Well shit.

I guess we can go the route of signing a late season pass rusher again like we did with Miller and Fowler - assuming we can’t get a top edge rusher in free agency.

I would go after a good CB now. Gilmore, Douglas or Heyward If still available.

I think the two best options are

1) Gilmore and Fowler

2) Wagner and Rasul Douglas (maybe?) or another mid tier CB

I dunno what the Rams have planned, but they just cleared $17M to sign Miller and I can't see the Rams FO sitting tight forever.

We may sit tight, but this may be an opportunity to really shake things up in a positive way...

The more I think of either option, the more I like it, especially as we play the AFC West this season and having option 1) would be huge not just for winning the division (option 2 is arguably better for just winning the division), but for trying for home field advantage...

 

[dang]

I saw that Eli Apple is available!

Applesauce!!!

“Rotten” Apple

 

[Classic Rams]

Since we won the Superbowl I'm not going to be that disappointed. We're still the champs for the next several months... and beyond.

Hell Fowler helped us get to a SB in 2018. We can run it back with him. And maybe sneak Wags in there too. Money saved for Stafford & Donald.

 

[dang]

I work in Lancaster, which is a suburb of Buffalo, but I actually live near Rochester.

Born in Rochester - lived in Charlotte. Lived in Buffalo for 2 years. Then we moved south when I was 7. Still have most of extended family in Rochester. Bills are my AFC team.

 

[dang]

Well shit.

I guess we can go the route of signing a late season pass rusher again like we did with Miller and Fowler - assuming we can’t get a top edge rusher in free agency.

I would go after a good CB now. Gilmore, Douglas or Heyward If still available.

Douglas for $8m? If not how much?

 

[BriansRams]

A 2nd and a 3rd down the drain. He helped us win the SB but wasn't MVP Von. Now we're stuck with no EDGE opposite Floyd.

I know but.... winning the damn superbowl was (and always would be) WORTH every single draft pick and dollar we gave up. There is NOTHING higher to achieve during a season of the NFL than winning the it all, winning the Super Bowl. We all have to remember that. We did it! We're the best! It's in the history books. You want a second and third round pick back and not win the super bowl?

 

[fearsomefour]

I know they will. I trust Snead and McVay unconditionally. I just don’t see an edge rusher aside from Hunter who deserves a long term deal, or - more to my problem with Miller - an elite edge rusher in along with maybe a Myles Jack, if Miller had let the team know that he wasn’t signing here.

If he had merely done that, I would not have the animosity toward him that I currently have. But Miller played coy, lied to fans and the media about “loving L.A.” and “wanting to stay”. In doing that, he fucked over our plans. We haven’t gotten an elite edge, and Miller left us high and dry.

He may not have been lying at all.
He may love LA and had a blast playing with the Rams and winning a title.
But, before FA he didn't know what he would be offered. Maybe the Bills and the guaranteed money were just too much. Perhaps the Rams offered 2 years and $26 M with 20 million guaranteed. His $45 M guaranteed money, and he may not have even expected a deal like that, was too much to pass up.
He helped the Rams wins a Super Bowl....his run D was very good for one thing. Thats good enough for me.
Would prefer to have him back of course and having him certainly gives the Rams D a different dynamic, but, no one owed anything in this scenario. So, he turned out to be rental for a Super Bowl run.
It worked out.
So be it.

 

[fearsomefour]

I imagine he'd want another one year deal. I think two years $14 million sounds fair to me.

14 games played last year and 4.5 sacks.
Rams would have been better keeping Joseph-Day.
Chandler Jones and both GB rushers are signed I believe.
Any reasonable options left out there besides Fowler and Clowney in your opinion or are the Rams going be re insert Hollins or go with a committee?

 

[El Chapo Jr]

If we are into getting veteran pass rushers, I'm for Justin Houston (good vet to rotate and help our younger rushers further develop) and a CB and possibly Bobby Wagner if we can fit him in.

 

[AvengerRam]

It doesn’t take long for the sky is falling crowd to come back out does it?

Some people always see problems.
Others see possibilities.

Some things never change.

 

[MachS]

1)Melvin Ingram
2)Trey Flowers
3)Justin Houston
4)Jadeveon Clowney
5)Arden Key

If we land one of these guys we should be okay. None are Von obviously but should perform pretty well next to AD. Would love to sign Wagner as well or Tyrann Mathieu.

 

[FarNorth]

Agreed. People look at the APY but fail to consider the significance of the three guaranteed years. Von is about to turn 33. That'll mean paying him a huge amount of money as a 35 year old.

It's too bad. Can't blame Von for taking the guaranteed money with a great team. Can't blame the Rams for not matching it. But imo it will undermine Rams' chances to repeat. Hopefully Rams can put the money to effective use elsewhere.

 

[Merlin]

Thanks 40. See you in the Super Bowl maybe.

 

[Mackeyser]

1)Melvin Ingram
2)Trey Flowers
3)Justin Houston
4)Jadeveon Clowney
5)Arden Key

If we land one of these guys we should be okay. None are Von obviously but should perform pretty well next to AD. Would love to sign Wagner as well or Tyrann Mathieu.

If we could somehow manage Wagner and Mathieu, that'd be a serious haul.

I'm on the fence about whether Wagner or Gilmore would be a bigger deal, but I still lean towards Wagner. I dunno why, honestly, even as from a scheme and opponent basis, Gilmore is a better fit.

 

[Mackeyser]

It's too bad. Can't blame Von for taking the guaranteed money with a great team. Can't blame the Rams for not matching it. But imo it will undermine Rams' chances to repeat. Hopefully Rams can put the money to effective use elsewhere.

Yeah.

But this is smart cap management. You can't pay an edge rusher $17M at 35. I suppose Von could be the exception, but I have a feeling that after a year or two, either Von will be considering retirement or the Bills will be looking to trade out of that contract. I would be surprised if the Bills are paying Von Miller even in the third year of that contract...

 

[Neil039]

Thanks Von. We’ll send your ring by USPS, you should get it this time next year.

 

[Riverumbbq]

I feel that.

If his peeps had just said, "look, we want $17M+ and 3 years guaranteed, that might have done it.

There's NO WAY Miller sees that 4th year... Also, if he retires after 1 year (injuries suck and playing in that really cold, wet weather put extra mileage on the joints), the Bills are gonna be hosed.

I'm feeling better about moving on (only because of the contract), but I really would have liked better communication, if for no other reason than like you stated, we missed on several other possibilities chasing Von and while it was nice for his ego, he ultimately put the Rams in a tougher spot.

Not saying Von shouldn't grab that bag while it's there and not saying we should have paid anything, cuz we shouldn't. You'll notice Denver wasn't remotely gonna upend its roster for Von and they will likely ultimately sign him to a one day contract so he can retire a Bronco.

I dunno if we try for Danielle Hunter, if we try for Bobby Wagner (not sure how the Chargers make him work with the several big signings/trades they've made) or if we try for an upgrade like Gilmore at CB... or if we just say fuck it and roll with what we got since our division is kinda down this year and the plan has been all along for these guys to step up.

I dunno, but it don't feel good right now.

That said, the only feel good that ultimately matters is the Super Bowl and I'm gonna go back to focusing on that for a bit because just focusing on the players we've lost without confirmed news of AD or Stafford's or OBJ's new contracts/extensions is making me sad.

We won the Super Bowl and I have the credit card bill to prove it, dammit!!!

One of the things I'm noticing is Rams fans shooting for the stars, the next most expensive player/s with the money once allocated towards Von Miller. I could see the Rams nailing down near on 2.5 to 3 players with the same or similar money, and while they're not the name players people have come to expect, they are talented, less expensive and younger.

1) TE - Austin Hooper
2) CB - Rasul Douglas
3) Edge - Arden Key

I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 of the above came in at under $20.mil. or close to it.

Hooper is 27 y.o. and had the same QB as Njoku & OBj. Him at TE2 behind Higbee could be ideal.

Douglas is 26 y.o. had a very strong 2022 season and is likely the most expensive of the 3 mentioned here.

Key is 25 y.o. and a very strong pass rushing rotational player. While others talk about desiring the most expensive CB's left on the market since we face such strong AFC passing QB's in 2022, they seem to somehow neglect how we might still get after the QB now that Von Miller is no longer in the picture.
jmo.

 

[TheTackle]

I am shocked and gutted! I love the positive response of many here and agree that we should maybe pivot to signing one of the best 2 CBs available which is another way to generate sacks.

That said, Von was special down the stretch and gave us a fearsome pass rush as good as we have seen since that Denver defense! What a shame but the Bills look primed and so it is understandable even if he will not realise what he’s missing until he has eaten in Buffalos two great restaurants and frozen his arse off in a park!

We cannot replace him and so should look at how we can turn our backfield into a dominant group instead. My only reservation in signing a CB is it would offset the 3rd round compensation for Von

I wouldn’t sign Wagner as good as he is because MLB has been proven not to be as important as CB or OLB in our system

 

[Mackeyser]

One of the things I'm noticing is Rams fans shooting for the stars, the next most expensive player/s with the money once allocated towards Von Miller. I could see the Rams nailing down near on 2.5 to 3 players with the same or similar money, and while they're not the name players people have come to expect, they are talented, less expensive and younger.

1) TE - Austin Hooper
2) CB - Rasul Douglas
3) Edge - Arden Key

I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 of the above came in at under $20.mil. or close to it.

Hooper is 27 y.o. and had the same QB as Njoku & OBj. Him at TE2 behind Higbee could be ideal.

Douglas is 26 y.o. had a very strong 2022 season and is likely the most expensive of the 3 mentioned here.

Key is 25 y.o. and a very strong pass rushing rotational player. While others talk about desiring the most expensive CB's left on the market since we face such strong AFC passing QB's in 2022, they seem to somehow neglect how we might still get after the QB now that Von Miller is no longer in the picture.
jmo.

yeah, I think a LOT of this is the trauma of what became the 2019 season with people leaving (we got poached in every way WAY harder than the Pats).

I don't think we repeat that, but the talent drain can't be ignored. I mean... have we ever lost this much talent in one off-season?

I still maintain that we're very much Super Bowl contenders in 2022.

It's just a shock to see so many heading for the exits with so many unknowns...