Miller happy to share his knowledge
He instructed Antonio Simmons about how to use his hands to gain an advantage. He showed Jeff Holland the angle to contort his body when trying to get around the corner. And he reviewed 1-on-1 snaps with Jared Veldheer.
At age 29 and entering his ninth NFL season, Broncos linebacker Von Miller has accumulated volumes of pass-rushing knowledge and is not afraid to share it.
The best part for the Broncos: Miller sees it as no big deal.
“This is our team,” Miller said. “It shouldn’t feel like a responsibility or a chore to take guys under your wing. It just happens naturally.”
A combination of natural athletic gifts and an off-the-charts want-to level has made Miller one of the game’s premier pass rushers — his 83½ sacks since he debuted in 2011 are the most in the league.
But from his offseason “Pass Rush Summit” to his constant instruction, it’s clear Miller enjoys talking and teaching football.
“I like kicking it with the rookies,” Miller said. “They bring a fresh perspective of the game and where we are.”
Simmons, an undrafted rookie who was signed after minicamp, absorbed Miller’s tutelage during a walkthrough last week.
Miller methodically took Simmons through a rip move, various hand-slaps and ways to get a tackle’s hands out of his pads.
Holland, also an undrafted rookie, has received Miller’s advice about how to work on the field and how to take care of himself off the field.
“I’m learning the techniques, how to be a pro off the field, how he recovers,” Holland said. “When we’re watching film, he’ll say, ‘Jeff, you could have had better hands here,’ or he’ll watch a play and say, ‘Jeff, change it up.’ He even has advice on things like playing the run block.”
Holland said Miller has also impacted his diet — salads and spinach have replaced “bad meats,” like pork and beef.
“Just eating cleaner,” Holland said. “I’ve gotten leaner and lost some body fat and am getting faster and quicker.”
Miller also talks shop with Veldheer, who has 101 regular season starts. In the locker room following practice, they will review their matchups.
“I’ll go pick his brain like ‘What did you see here from me?’” Veldheer said. “It’s nice to bounce things off a good rusher like him.”
Veldheer has already been impressed by Miller’s football aptitude.
“He’s extremely fast mentally,” Veldheer said. “Whatever the fastest processor and the newest technology is, that’s what he’s running with. He doesn’t get bogged down by anything.”
Veldheer practiced against Chandler Jones and Markus Golden the last two years in Arizona.
“We would always try to go back and forth about what we were seeing,” Veldheer said. “It’s good to have those relationships and I’m glad we’re building that here.”
Veldheer said Miller presents “new challenges every day,” like being more aggressive during a rep.
“Von hit me with a couple of new moves (during one practice) and I had to take a good look at the film to see what I needed to do,” Veldheer said. “And then you come out the next day with those things in your mind and play ball. Those are the things that make you better in camp, that back and forth.”