Lost in the news that Denver has re-opened talks with star linebacker Von Miller is this nugget from Broncos beat man Mike Klis of KUSA-TV in Denver:
This is interesting. Out of the three deals that Denver had to get done this offseason (linebacker Brandon Marshall, Miller and Sanders), Sanders' deal was leaning more towards slam-dunk territory than Miller, who was always going to have the most complex set of negotiations.
A boffo deal signed by Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin and a smart extension signed by Chargers receiver Keenan Allen probably didn't make negotiating with Sanders any easier for the Broncos. The manpower devoted to Miller's deal alone could also be sapping resources.
Interestingly enough, the Broncos turned to Sanders when Miller's deal was at a complete standstill back in early June. Now, they seem to be pivoting back in the other direction with just a week left to agree to terms with Miller before the franchise tag deadline. The Broncos are headed for top-heavy territory in terms of star player contracts that need to get done and they aren't even paying a quarterback significant money. Having Paxton Lynch under team control for the foreseeable future should aid the Broncos in keeping their financial woes in check for now.
As NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport noted a few weeks ago, the snag in Miller's deal continues to be the three-year payout and guaranteed money. The conversation with Miller needs to start at $63.1 million guaranteed (Fletcher Cox received $63 million in his new deal) and the Broncos will need to dig deep over the early years of Miller's contract. Until they get that issue solved, don't expect to hear updates on Sanders.
