Von Miller Targeting Mid-December Return If Broncos Playoffs Hopes Are Alive

According to Jason La Canfora, Broncos OLB Von Miller is hoping to be able to return by mid-December this season despite dislocating ankle tendons a few weeks ago. 

The injury required surgery and La Canfora says most specialists estimate a four to six-month recovery timeline. Miller, however, is researching how other football players and even soccer players have come back in just three months.

“It may be a longshot, but you never know with Von,” said one source with knowledge of the situation, per La Canfora. “He is a freak athlete, and he is very focused on doing everything he can to get back in December.”

Miller is currently in a boot and will stay in it for a total of eight weeks. The transition out of the boot and back to football activities normally takes eight weeks but that’s the timeline Miller is trying to beat. 

Denver picked up Miller’s option, but the injury put his long-term future with the Broncos in some doubt as he has just one more year left on his deal and no guaranteed money. He has told teammates he thinks he has at least five or six more years left in him. 

Miller, 31, is a former first-round pick of the Broncos back in 2011. After playing out his rookie deal, Denver picked up his fifth-year option and later used their franchise tag on Miller.

The Broncos signed Miller to a six-year, $114 million extension in 2016 with $70 million guaranteed. He will make $18 million in 2020 with $6 million fully guaranteed and count $25.625 million against the cap.

Denver officially picked up Miller’s option earlier this offseason. 

In 2019, Miller appeared in 15 games for the Broncos and recorded 46 tackles, eight sacks and two pass defenses. Pro Football Focus rated him as the No. 25 edge defender out of 111 qualifying players.