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John Keim
ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders signed a giant identify in Von Miller. However the expectations have to be tethered to actuality. Miller can assist Washington, however he is additionally 36 years previous.
That stated, he would not have to return to his Professional Bowl and All-Professional go speeding days to be of service. After all each crew might use a dynamic edge rusher. However wanting that, Washington additionally wants choices and solely wants Miller to turn out to be their nearer — a la former New York Yankees nice Mariano Rivera — and supply the defensive punctuations they didn’t make final season.
Miller must be considered as one other chess piece and never simply the ultimate piece — a man who they hope can affect these round him whereas nonetheless having his presence felt by opposing quarterbacks. One former teammate who additionally has confronted him stated Miller was nonetheless explosive. However he additionally identified the affect accidents have taken on the 2011 No. 2 general choose.
One coach who has confronted Miller prior to now two seasons stated this spring he “can nonetheless discover some nice rushes if he desires” and that he “would not wager in opposition to a motivated Miller.”
The signing is the most recent in a string of clear acquisitions that Washington is “going for it” this season. But it surely additionally highlights one other change in Washington: Older gamers used to chase the cash in D.C., now they’re chasing rings. Or, for a change, each. Gamers comparable to Miller, linebacker Bobby Wagner and tight Zach Ertz, wouldn’t be right here in any other case.
The mixed age of the crew is a testomony to that reality. The Commanders now have 22 gamers age 30 or older on the roster, and try to string the needle between constructing for the longer term with draft picks whereas nonetheless filling holes with veterans — a byproduct of too many failed draft picks from the previous — to contend whereas quarterback Jayden Daniels performs out his rookie contract.
In some unspecified time in the future they should get youthful.
Miller joins a Commanders go rush that wasn’t dangerous final season, rating eleventh within the NFL with 43 sacks. Nevertheless, after they wanted it most on essential third downs and late-game conditions, they usually didn’t generate strain on the opposing quarterback.
Within the fourth quarter of video games, Washington recorded 5 sacks — the third-lowest mark within the league. The Commanders’ go rush win price within the last quarter final season was 13.3%; just one participant, Wagner, at 31.6% was higher than 21.1% on this class, in response to ESPN Analysis. With Buffalo final season, Miller had a go rush win price within the fourth quarter of 25.5% — third-highest within the NFL.
In these quarters Miller had 12 go rush wins — yet one more than anybody on Washington’s roster. Defensive finish Dorance Armstrong led with 11; Frankie Luvu was subsequent with eight. The Commanders had two fourth quarter go rush wins over their three postseason video games. Miller had three by himself over the identical quantity of video games.
If he can present the go rush Washington wants, maybe head coach Dan Quinn & Co. will not want the offense to duplicate its late-game heroics from a season in the past. In 2024, the Commanders gained 9 one-score video games, with six approaching their last offensive possession.
After all, that additionally means Miller have to be out there. He did play in all 16 video games, together with the playoffs, for which he was eligible final season, but in addition served a four-game suspension with out pay for violating the NFL’s private conduct coverage. He missed 5 video games in 2022 after tearing his ACL, which impacted the next season — not simply with 5 missed video games however in his efficiency; he recorded zero sacks in 12 common season video games in 2023. He is had two torn ACLs to the identical knee and missed 2020 with a dislocated tendon in his foot.
Miller may need put on and tear however the Commanders simply want him to stay contemporary for the fourth quarter.
“I might have simply sat out all of final season, however I could not do my teammates like that,” he informed SI.com final 12 months. “However on the similar time, I should not have been on the market. I really feel like persons are judging me on that, so it is making me just a little bit indignant, to be trustworthy.”
One league supply earlier this offseason identified how Quinn introduced in former Indianapolis Colts nice Dwight Freeney for the same position when Quinn was coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2016 — a 12 months the Falcons reached the Tremendous Bowl. It is why they signed Wagner final offseason: Quinn values that mentorship at every place group — a follow that paid off final season.
Wagner shortly grew to become not solely a frontrunner amongst linebackers but in addition among the many crew. The previous Seattle Seahawks nice developed a robust bond with Daniels, changing into a de facto “large brother” to burgeoning star. In the course of the spring, teammates reacted to Wagner’s presence as if he had been a rock star. However Wagner did not act that approach and is aware of how one can lead people and a crew.
For his half, Miller may also help Washington’s different go rushers, although his ability set is totally different than theirs. Miller began a go rush summit in 2017 — now named the Sack Summit — to convey collectively defensive linemen and assist them get after the passer higher.
Washington’s edge rushers are principally older. The Commanders have a set of gamers who can get between 5 to eight sacks — although Luvu may very well be poised to do extra. Miller might additionally assist the tackles. At occasions final season, Miller would create a one-on-one for an inside linemen on his aspect. Although it did not assist the Payments inside rush, Washington hopes its pass-rushing tackles comparable to Daron Payne, Jer’Zhan Newton and Javon Kinlaw will profit from the additional consideration Miller instructions. The Commanders can also use a faster go rush on apparent downs by sliding Armstrong and Deatrich Smart Jr. inside.
Lastly, Miller’s presence will probably assist rookie offensive deal with Josh Conerly Jr. as properly. The crew hopes the summer time 1-on-1s can get Conerly on top of things shortly. It is what Miller, which one coach known as a top-tier teammate, has completed at his summit and within the locker room. It helps that common supervisor Adam Peters was in Denver’s entrance workplace as for Miller’s first six seasons.
“I’ve all the time been a believer iron sharpens iron, and it is a place the place we might do this,” the coach informed ESPN final summer time. “It is all to make us all higher. I am making them higher they usually’re making me higher. So it isn’t about our quarterbacks or their quarterbacks. We’re all getting higher.”
That is what Miller presents. What he delivers will not be recognized for some time.
