Los Angeles Rams edge player Von Miller is one of the most vaunted pass rushers in the NFL. The Rams thought he could be the missing piece for their defense to make a Super Bowl run, and the gamble they made is paying off.
The Rams are set to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl in two weeks at their home field, SoFi Stadium. The acquisition of Miller has helped the Rams defense get back on track and finish strong after some lulls in the early part of the regular season.
Miller, who is 32-years old, remains on top of his game. He finished fourth out of 109 qualified edge rushers with a grade of 90.4 according to PFF as he is still one of the best in the business. As a result, the Rams will face some competition in retaining him this offseason.
Miller is heading into free agency and will have plenty of suitors. Virtually every team would improve with the future Hall of Famer in their front seven as he is more than just a pass rusher. He holds up well against the run still as well.
Which team could pose the biggest threat to the Rams? Here are three potential free agent destinations for Miller this offseason.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
Head coach Brandon Staley’s specialty is defense, but the Los Angeles Chargers fell short on that side of the ball in 2021. Their inability to consistently get stops is as big of a reason as any that they missed out on the postseason.
The Chargers’ pass rush was lacking, as they finished 21st in sacks with 35 on the season. Adding a little juice to the pass rush opposite of Joey Bosa would be ideal, and Von Miller would provide it.
Miller staying in Los Angeles and joining the Chargers is something to keep an eye on. He would upgrade their defense despite his recent injury history, as his production remains elite.
2. Seattle Seahawks
There may not be a team in the NFL that needs an upgrade on the EDGE more than the Seattle Seahawks. Their pass rush has been anemic recently and 2021 was no different.
The Seahawks finished fifth-to-last in edge pass-rushing grades for the 2021 season. Without a first-round draft pick, they could address that need in free agency as there are several EDGE players available.
With money to spend, could they convince Miller to move to the greater northwest? Seattle isn’t as far away from contending as some think, especially if they iron things out with Russell Wilson and he remains in town.
Adding a player such as Miller would upgrade the defense enough that Seattle would be right back in the NFL playoff picture next season.
1. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots went out of character a little bit last season, spending lavishly in free agency. One of their main additions was linebacker, Matt Judon.
Judon led the team with 12.5 sacks on the season, but no one else provided consistent pressure. Kyle Van Noy was second on the team with five sacks as this defense could use another pass-rushing presence opposite of Judon.
Von Miller would be a great addition to help bring this defense back to prominence in the NFL. New England was 19th in the league with 36 sacks. Miller would present an excellent bookend for Judon, taking away their opponent’s ability to constantly send extra attention to Judon’s side of the field.
