Denver Broncos general manager George Paton took over during the 2021 offseason. In fact, his first draft pick was cornerback Pat Surtain II. In the first five rounds, he drafted Surtain II, running back Javonte Williams, guard Quinn Meinerz, EDGE Baron Browning, and safety Caden Sterns. Then, during the season, he traded EDGE Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams for draft picks — No. 64 and No. 96.
Von Miller Trade a Rare Win-Win
Miller totaled five sacks in the regular season with the Rams, including eight QB hits, 31 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and a pass breakup. He totaled another four sacks in the playoffs. So, the Rams won the Super Bowl. And the Broncos got picks 64 and 96.
EDGE Nik Bonitto was drafted by the Broncos with pick No. 64, and pick No. 96 was traded to the Indianapolis Colts. The latter pick indirectly led to the drafting of linebacker Drew Sanders. While the Broncos haven’t won a Super Bowl (yet) since the trade, Bonitto’s become the franchise’s next Miller.
After a sack and a half as a rookie, he has three straight eight-plus sack seasons, including consecutive 10-plus sack seasons. Because 2021 was Paton’s first season as Broncos general manager, he traded Miller, then 32, instead of re-signing him. The Broncos were coming off a double-digit loss season in 2020, so the timeline of the rebuild didn’t align. For reference, GMs get a five-year window.
In Paton’s first year, the Broncos went 7-10. And it wasn’t until his fourth year in 2024 that the Broncos made the playoffs. Miller was 35. So, the Miller trade is a rare win-win. The Rams won the Super Bowl, and the Broncos developed Bonitto in the evaluation period of Paton’s tenure in 2022 and 2023 (years two and three, respectively). Bonitto’s sacks ballooned from one and a half as a rookie to eight in his second season.
Still meat on the bone, his sacks ballooned from eight in his second season to 13.5 in his third (2024). That was more sacks than Bonitto had in his first two seasons combined. Paton extended Bonitto before the 2025 season, and now the latter has 10.5 sacks through 12 games — with five games to go. Miller, meanwhile, is one of Bonitto’s idols.
“(Von Miller) was the first person I tried to find after the game,” Bonitto said. “I think he kinda left a little bit early. We’ll find ways to get in touch later, so (it’s whatever).”
This season, Bonitto is No. 20 in PFSN’s EDGE Impact Score, while Miller is 111.
