The Denver Broncos play six teams to start the 2026 season that may legitimately have Super Bowl aspirations this coming season. Considering the Broncos are also in that category, the team might need to look into ways they can further perfect the roster in the weeks leading up to training camp.
And there is currently one free agent out there who makes more sense than the rest.
Although the Broncos have set franchise records in sacks in each of the past two seasons, the addition of a player like franchise legend Von Miller has a ton of merit, and maybe now more than ever before, with the gauntlet the team has to run in the first six games of 2026.
The Broncos are set to face off against the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks in their first six games of the season. That means they're facing off against Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, Brock Purdy, Justin Herbert, and Sam Darnold. If you want to beat teams like that -- quarterbacks like that -- you have to be able to bring endless waves of pass rush. And Miller helps accomplish that.
Denver Broncos need to sign Von Miller after seeing 6-game gauntlet to start 2026 schedule
There are very fair logistical questions about the potential addition of Miller to a roster as loaded as the Denver Broncos.
Whose spot on the gameday roster is Miller taking? What about the fact that he doesn't play special teams? Do the Broncos even have room for him on the 53 right now? Wouldn't this be more for the 'vibes' than actual football reasons?
Let's answer the first question -- which is the most important one at this point -- by taking a look at the Broncos' gameday inactives list for the Divisional Round playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills:
- QB Sam Ehlinger
- CB Reese Taylor
- LB Karene Reid
- EDGE Que Robinson
- WR Elijah Moore
- TE Caleb Lohner
- DE Sai'vion Jones
Injuries take their toll over the course of the season. The idea that Von Miller wouldn't be an asset to the Broncos in 2026 because it would cause a dilemma for gameday roster projections here in the month of May is ridiculous. Looking at the list of inactives for a massive home playoff game is an indicator that your roster talent is never at a point where adding someone like Von Miller couldn't help.
The Broncos are experimenting this offseason with Jonah Elliss taking some reps at the inside linebacker position, and part of the motivation for that is to get more snaps for someone like Que Robinson. Robinson was inactive for most of his rookie year in Denver, but showed tremendous flashes when he got opportunities to be on the field.
It's understandable that there would be some hesitation from the fan base to have Miller come in for just one year, eat up the snaps of someone like Robinson or even Dondrea Tillman, and potentially compromise their development, but I don't see that being the case whatsoever.
Miller's ability to get after the quarterback -- even at the age of 37 -- is not only notable, but rather incredible given the limited snaps he's playing nowadays. He had nine sacks last season playing just 420 total snaps (37 percent for the Commanders). He has 15 total sacks over his last 30 games dating back to 2024.
Yes, a defense that lost John Franklin-Myers this offseason has in-house replacement options like Sai'vion Jones and this year's top pick Tyler Onyedim on the defensive line. Yes, the Broncos have young players they believe in with Que Robinson and Jonah Elliss.
But the idea of adding Von Miller to the mix and figuring out the logistics along the way has too much appeal to ignore. Miller himself is campaigning for it, seemingly more by the day. Nik Bonitto has said Broncos players would love to see it happen.
The reality for the Denver Broncos right now is that they are in a championship window. And even though he's older and would play a more limited role, Miller has proven -- multiple times over -- that he can help a team capitalize on that window. Including the team he's basically begging to play for at this point.
The last thing the Broncos want to happen is that they would be looking in hindsight at the opportunity to sign Miller and wishing they had done it over the summer instead of being caught in a rough situation during the season.
When you're in a Super Bowl window like the Broncos, you have to be ready to make win-now moves. Signing Von Miller is a win-now move.
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