Broncos General Manager George Paton traded Von Miller to the Rams on Monday in a deal that netted two draft picks and sent away one of the few remaining links to brighter days for the franchise.
It’s Paton’s first year on the job and trading Miller could be seen as a signal that the team is moving toward a bigger rebuilding effort that will continue in the offseason. On Tuesday, Paton insisted that is not the case.
Paton told reporters that it is “not fair to some of our core guys to rebuild” and that he believes in the capabilities of a team is in “the thick of it” at this point in the season.
“I just told them I believed in them,” Paton said, via the team’s website. “I believe in the players that have to replace Von. You saw that [Sunday]. This is not a fire sale. We believe in all these guys. We’re 4-4. Everything’s in front of us. So we had a long conversation. I think they’re all in. I know they’re all in. We traded one player. He’s a great player. But we believe in the guys behind him. We believe in this roster. We do need to play better. Everyone needs to know that. There is an urgency. . . . We haven’t played great. We need to play better. But the fact of the matter is we’re 4-4 and we’re still in it. I believe in these guys, and I believe they can turn it around.”
Many have noted that the Miller trade gives the Broncos draft assets that can be used as part of a package to get a franchise quarterback come the offseason. The final nine games will determine if that is a move to add a cherry on top or if the work the Broncos need to do goes well beyond one position on offense.