What Impact Will Von Miller Have On the Los Angeles Rams?

The Von Miller era is about to begin in Los Angeles. After spending a decade in Denver, the future Hall of Fame pass rusher is headed to sunny L.A., where he hopes to return to another Super Bowl.

The Rams have made a habit of tossing draft picks around to get what they want, and this trade was no exception. L.A. sent a second and third-round pick in next year’s draft to the Broncos in exchange for Miller and the understanding that Denver would eat about $9 million of the $9.7 million he is owed on his contract.

The NFL odds have the Los Angeles Rams at +800 to win the Super Bowl, but with the addition of Miller, we could see those odds dropping soon.

Von Miller Through the Years

Few players in NFL history have proven their ability to take over a game on the defensive side of the ball like Miller. He has 110.5 career sacks and was named Super Bowl 50 MVP after one of the most dominating performances by a linebacker you’ll ever see.

Miller finished the game with 2.5 sacks (including two game-changing strip-sacks), six tackles, two quarterback hits, and a pass defended. The eight-time Pro-Bowler and former second overall pick is not the same player he once was at 32 years of age, but the Rams are banking on him having plenty left in the tank.

He won’t carry the same kind of pressure in Los Angeles, as the Rams already have a star-studded defense that includes Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey.

No One Is Happier Than Aaron Donald

The consensus around NFL locker rooms is that Aaron Donald is one of the best players in the game. The defensive tackle has been to the Pro Bowl seven times and has three AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.

The man can completely wreck a game, and defensive coordinators plan accordingly. Donald has accomplished all of this despite being double and triple-teamed for most of his career. With another elite pass rusher, Aaron Donald should have a lot more room to work with – and that’s a scary thought.

Add star edge rusher Leonard Floyd to the mix, and you now have three incredible pass rushers that will terrorize opponents.

Buy the Hype

This is one of those cases where I’m buying the hype. It doesn’t matter that Von Miller is past his prime. He’s still an elite athlete that is going to make a difference. The Rams will most likely use him situationally to keep him fresh and available for a deep post-season run.

When he’s on the field, it’s going to be a problem for other teams. Right now, the Rams’ odds to win the NFC West sit at +150, the NFC outright at +350, and the Super Bowl at +800. These might be the best odds bettors will see for the rest of the year.

Can the Rams Win It All?

Von Miller and the Los Angeles Rams are now in a great position to make a Super Bowl run. The addition of Matthew Stafford at quarterback has transformed the team into an offensive juggernaut, and with Miller joining the defense, this team has the potential to be dominant on both sides of the ball.

But it won’t be an easy road to get there, as the NFC features excellent teams, including the Cardinals, Packers, and defending champion Buccaneers.

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