Here’s where we stand on the franchise-tagged players

The Broncos and Miller are not far in settling the distance as both agreed on a six-year, $114.5 million deal that would eventually make the linebacker that highest paid defensive player in yearly average.

Miller doesn’t necessarily have much of a reason to take a below-market deal here.

A bigger victory would be securing Miller to a long-term deal. There’s no urgency in the cases of two others in this position – Trumaine Johnson and Justin Tucker.

That play set the tone in the Super Bowl and the Broncos never looked back. In my 20-plus years negotiating National Football League contracts, I always felt these type of player contracts were among the easiest to negotiate. “I know Von is eager to get back with us”.

Multiple teammates continued to express confidence Monday that Miller would sign a long-term deal.

Miller said he talked directly to Denver general manager John Elway “man to man” to clear the air, to let him know his feelings were hurt by the Broncos’ negotiating tactics but that he remains motivated to reach a deal. That’s a nice sound bite but not necessarily the truth. “It’s a league wide problem that I feel like I am in a situation to help out with”.

For Miller, the Broncos sack artist and Super Bowl 50 MVP, it should come this week. That definitely complicated his negotiation, but the team needed that protection at the time. That still seems unlikely, but it becomes more likely if he hasn’t signed by Friday.

It’s usually a good idea not to piss off your best players.

I have plenty of experience with signing premier players. Sanders is in the final year of his contract. He was represented by a big-time National Basketball Association agent, David Falk, who didn’t have many NFL clients. “He wants to be in Denver, Denver wants him, so I think it will work out”. I thought that we would just get in a room and knock this stuff out in a couple of hours. Give me a break.

“No, I’m not gonna play on the franchise tag”. With the retirement of Peyton Manning and exit of Brock Osweiler, Denver hopes that the defense will be solid again.

The Broncos now have until Friday to sign Von Miller to a multi-year contract.

Miller wants three full years of guarantees while the Broncos have upped their offer to some sort of partial guarantee for that third season.