Aug 2, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller (58) dances prior to the start of a scrimmage at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
We wrote (very excitedly) yesterday about how Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller has increased his workload in practices of late, and how he is on track to play at least some with the starters against the Houston Texans in the team’s third pre-season game.
What wasn’t written was what wasn’t known at the time, in that Miller’s gradual return to 11-on-11 drills and work against offensive linemen rather than just his 7-on-7 work or side work with the trainers is producing ‘dominant’ results, at least per the Broncos’ official Twitter page.
#Broncos LB @Millerlite40 was dominant Thursday at #BroncosCamp.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 15, 2014
QUICK HITS: http://t.co/ixK6pzzHbq pic.twitter.com/LAHy898pgL
Miller, when healthy, is a dominant player. There’s no way of getting around that. The fact that he’s already making people look silly in practice is a testament to his health. Here’s more from the official report from the Broncos’ site:
"Von Miller looks more spry with each passing day. He got to Manning for at least one sack in team drills and showed off a very flashy spin move to beat Chris Clark in 1-on-1s, capping the move with a twirling takedown of the tackling dummy."
This report is supplemented by a report from Andrew Mason, also at DenverBroncos.com.
"Linebacker Von Miller, who used a spin move to the inside to explode past right tackle Chris Clark. Miller generated consistent pressure during the team periods of practice, as well"
Miller is starting to turn heads, and the timing couldn’t be better. The Houston Texans are coming to town next week for joint practices in what should be Miller’s most extensive work since returning to the field after his ACL surgery last season.
If he’s looking dominant in practices, it’s bad news for Houston quarterbacks. With DeMarcus Ware in the fold, Miller’s maturity level has raised considerably, and he’s primed to have the best year of his NFL career if he is back at full speed by week one.