Von Miller working hard on endurance for extended quarterback terror in games

As a fan, Von Miller is slowly edging his way past Steve Atwater as my favorite defensive player in Denver Broncos history. He might already be there, but it’s hard to gauge admiration. I just want to say they are both super awesome.

Miller really opened up on his questions on Wednesday after practice and every time I came away more and more excited about his upcoming season.

The first came from his comments on keeping his body in focus. It’s all about Von being the on field longer without losing the ability to make game-changing plays.

“I’ve always focused on my body and focused on my nutrition,” Miller said of what he has done differently this offseason. “I’m just taking advantage of the time that I have now instead of going home after the workouts here and watching TV. I might go home and do some crunches or some cardio work. I think cardio and endurance is really the thing that I need to focus on. If I can stay on the field, I can play eight snaps instead of five snaps. It allows me more time to make plays and it allows me more opportunities and exposure to make plays. That’s been my whole goal this year. Just trying to stay on the field and have more exposure to football plays because you can’t make plays unless you are on the football field. I don’t want to be on the football field just going through the motions. I just want to be on the field like I know how to be. That’s all I’ve been working on, endurance and cardio.”

With DeMarcus Ware retiring, the Broncos may need Von Miller on the field more to keep the defensive edge sharp for 60 minutes. The Broncos certainly hope to see Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett keep up the pressure on Ware’s side of the ball.

That seems to be Miller’s primary goal in 2017. Be on that football field more and making those plays.

“Goals and roles change every single year,” Miller said of his goals for 2017. “I just want to be in great shape. I want to push my body to a spot that it has never been before. You’re never guaranteed that working hard off the field will translate to on-the-field success, but that is what I am hoping for this year. I’ve never worked as hard as I am working this offseason. Things don’t always happen like you want them to, but I’m hoping that work off the field translates over to the field. I’m just going to take it one play at a time and one game at a time. I’m going to continue to work on leadership and continue to lead my guys in the locker room. Good things always happen, especially here. I’m just taking in one day at a time. Whatever happens, I’m going to be OK with.”

The second part is Von talking about how this defensive unit is more greedy than hungry. The hungry thing is cliche as football cliches come, but Von’s breakdown of the difference between players being greedy and being hungry is what will set this defensive unit apart from their peers in 2017 and beyond.

“With defense, you just have to have that mindset,” Miller said. “I like to think of it more as being greedy. Moral of defense is being greedy. Sometimes when you’re hungry and you make a play, you ease up. But if you have that greedy mindset—I want one sack, two sacks, three sacks, four sacks—I don’t even want him to pass the ball. I think it works a lot better especially with my position and with what I do. Hungry, you can kind of fade a little bit, but being greedy, it’s always there. It’s the mindset and it’s a trait. On defense, I think me and Shane [Ray] have that.”

With each passing year, I am appreciating this defensive unit more and more. I failed to recognize its potential in 2014, was dumbstruck and in awe of it in 2015, started to appreciate it more in 2016, to now fully understanding what Denver has been enjoying for the past three seasons and will likely enjoy again in 2017. A truly generational defensive unit - one that will rival the vaunted Orange Crush of the 1970s.

I love it.

Horse Tracks

A little fun to start the Horse Tracks coverage here. The word bias is thrown around like crazy anymore, especially when the topic of Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch comes up. The fact is, everyone is bias and is pushing their slant on this issue. Be it blogger, be it commenter, be it a professional journalist. Watching the local media duke it out over their selected favorite is popcorn worthy. More popcorn worthy than any scuffle you’ll see in our comment threads on this site.

Actually, that is where this story began. Someone in the comments of a recent post said they heard Mark Schlereth say Paxton Lynch cut out of practice to hit the showers while the rest of the quarterbacks stayed on the field to get the additional work in. I saw that, then listened to it, and was “whoa’d!” by the implications of what Schlereth was implying.

Then buckets of cold water came from other local media members who were also at that OTA practice. First Cecil Lammey got into the fray, disputing those events, then Brandon Allbright. Allbright went on a popcorn eating worthy rant that I’ll share here.

There really is no one we can trust to report facts honestly. We really will have to wait until Vance Joseph actually makes a final decision in 2-3 months. Zack Kelberman of 24/7 Broncos summed things up rather succinctly.

Okay, on to the news for the day!

Broncos News

Broncos in 60: Wednesday, May 24, 2017
In today's "Broncos in 60," Von Miller on the new celebration change, National Brothers Day and John Elway is to receive the Mizel Community Enrichment Award.

Miller: Celebration change 'a wonderful thing'
Von Miller talks about the rule change to celebrations and how next season could be his best.

'This season will be my best season yet'
Von Miller discusses why he believes he is always in line to have "his best season yet" as he prepares for 2017.

Broncos go as Von Miller goes | 9news.com
Now that Peyton Manning is long gone, the Denver Broncos are no longer an automatic 13-3 or 12-4 for the upcoming season.

Woods 'bouncing around,' adjusting to new role
Defensive Coordinator Joe Woods talks about being in charge of the whole defense versus just the DBs and how the unit can improve this offseason.

Olivo brings special teams philosophies from KC
Special Teams Coordinator Brock Olivo talks about what he's seen from the rookie returners so far during OTAs and how he's mixing in his philosophies with last year's system.

Vance Joseph: Broncos must do better job of slowing things down
The Broncos were excited for OTAs coming off a tough season, but things were a little too aggressive for Vance Joseph's liking.

Here are the contract details for Broncos RB Jamaal Charles
Denver Broncos running back Jamaal Charles has a base salary of $900,000, but he could earn up to $3.75 million during the 2017 NFL season.

Watch: Champ Bailey enters Colorado Sports Hall of Fame
Former NFL cornerback Champ Bailey entered the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame last month. Here's footage of Bailey's acceptance speech: https://www.youtube.

Peyton Manning sang with Chris Stapleton at Red Rocks
Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning surprised fans when he joined country singer Chris Stapleton at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Tuesday evening. The future Hall of Famer sang "Tennessee Whiskey” with Stapleton. https://www.instagram.

Siemian & Lynch To Split First-Team Reps 50/50 At Broncos OTAs
The Broncos hit the practice field on Monday and afterwards, Head Coach Vance Joseph revealed how the playing time with the first-team will shake out for the quarterbacks.

NFL News

NFL.com ranks new millennium's 17 quarterback classes
NFL.com has taken a look at every quarterback class since the year 2000 and ranked them.

Teddy Bridgewater’s not practicing yet, but he’s close to rejoining the Vikings - SBNation.com
Teddy Bridgewater was back on the practice field as part of his rehab, but he still isn’t fully cleared to participate.

NFL voted on rule changes for the 2017 season, and we graded each one - SBNation.com
Letting players have fun with touchdown celebrations makes sense, and shortening overtime does not.

Ryan Grigson turns failed stint with Colts into an executive job with the Browns - SBNation.com
Ryan Grigson once sent the Browns a first-round pick for Trent Richardson. Now he works for the team.

NFL is all set to ease up on celebration penalties, but still no twerking - SBNation.com
Outcry about the No Fun League led to some changes at this year’s rules committee meeting.

Stop ripping Kelvin Benjamin because of a 6-second video - SBNation.com
Don't call people fat because of one internet clip.

Bruce Arians, who coached a 6-6 tie in 2016, loves the NFL's new OT rule - SBNation.com
Bruce Arians says the Cardinals couldn’t practice in the days after a grueling tie with the Seahawks in October.

Brock Osweiler says ‘film for the past 2 years’ proves he’s a starting QB and, uh, OK Brock - SBNation.com
Osweiler was a starter. Just not a very good one.

Andrew Hawkins signs with Patriots after graduating from Columbia - SBNation.com
Leaving Cleveland should be a boon for the veteran wide receiver.