ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos general manager George Paton said Thursday that the decision to keep linebacker Von Miller came down to the fact that he believes Miller is still a "special" player and that some of the best pass-rushers have excelled into their 30s.
The Broncos elected to exercise an option clause in Miller's contract earlier this week that guarantees $7 million of Miller's $17.5 million base salary and engages the final year of the six-year, $114.5 million contract Miller signed in 2016.
"The tape I watched, he still had the juice before he got injured, and pass-rushers are a premium and he's special, he's a special pass-rusher," Paton said. "You look at some of the great pass-rushers of all time, they're rushing the passer well into their 30s."
Asked whether the deals some of the high-profile edge-rushers received in the first hours of free agency -- most within the range of Miller's salary in 2021 -- influenced the decision, Paton said no and added, "We wanted Von Miller, we wanted Von to be a Bronco. ... He's going to have a Pro Bowl-type season."
Miller, who will turn 32 next week, is the league's active leader in sacks with 106 -- that also makes him the franchise's all-time leader -- and he has been named to eight Pro Bowls and the All-Decade team for the 2010s, as well as receiving the MVP award in Super Bowl 50.
Miller missed the 2020 season with an ankle injury he suffered in the week leading up to the opener.
Miller cleared a potential legal hurdle in the past two weeks when the 18th Judicial District district attorney's office elected not to bring charges against him after an investigation by the Parker, Colorado, police department earlier this year. Paton said he has spoken to Miller.
Miller was John Elway's first draft pick as the Broncos' top football decision-maker when the they selected Miller No. 2 overall -- behind Cam Newton -- in the 2011 draft. With 11.5 sacks that year, Miller was selected the league's defensive rookie of the year and to the first of eight Pro Bowls.
The 2013 season was the only year Miller played in a game for the Broncos and was not selected to the Pro Bowl.
Also Thursday, Paton once again threw at least some support behind quarterback Drew Lock, saying, "We like Drew Lock, we have a plan in place, there's free agency, there's a draft, there's trades, there is a lot of ways to acquire a quarterback, fortunately we have a quarterback here." But Paton added he'd still like to "bring in competition."
Paton said the No. 9 pick in April's draft is still in play to select a quarterback and that he would personally attend the pro days of other quarterbacks in the draft in the coming weeks as he did for North Dakota State's Trey Lance.
On rescinding the restricted free-agent tender for running back Phillip Lindsay on Thursday morning, Paton said Lindsey deserved to "maximize" his ability to sign a new deal elsewhere without the tender in place. Paton also praised new arrival Mike Boone's ability to have a role at running back in the offense as well as a significant role on special teams.
And while the Broncos did not engage the option year on safety Kareem Jackson's contract earlier in the week, making Jackson a free agent, Paton said Thursday that the team has "left the door open for Kareem to come back."