Today's 4 p.m. ET franchise tag deadline is drawing near, and Von Miller and the Broncos are inching closer to a deal.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Miller and the Broncos spent the last week making significant progress on the six-year, $114 million offer and that the two parties are "closing in on a deal." Denver's most recent offer includes $59 million of fully guaranteed money in the first nine months and $70 million guaranteed by March 2018.
"There is now a better chance this deal gets done than it doesn't get done." Rapoport added on Thursday's edition of Total Access. "As things have gone quiet in the Von Miller negotiation, optimism has grown for all involved. It's headed in the right direction quickly."
Denver's latest offer would not only make Miller the highest-paid defensive player in the league; it would put him in the same stratosphere as Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, in terms of guaranteed money. Luck earned $47 million in fully guaranteed money last month when he signed his record six-year, $140 million deal to stay in Indianapolis. If this deal gets done by Friday, Miller would outpace Luck by $12 million.
This news follows a timeline of negotiating that began last week. NFL Media's Mike Garafolo hinted last Friday at a new offer based on more fully guaranteed money, adding that the Broncos "moved up the date for some of that non-guaranteed money, non-fully guaranteed money at signing to become fully guaranteed. But that sweetening of the pot is not sweet enough for Von Miller."
NFL Media's Rand Getlin reported Monday that the two sides began exchanging multiple proposals over the weekend.
Now that there are serious, record-breaking numbers on the table, the pressure is on Miller and his team of negotiators to strike a deal before Friday's deadline passes.
