RealGM Wiretap
The Denver Broncos have won the AFC West in each of the past two seasons, not coincidentally in the first two seasons of Von Miller’s career. The previous winner of the division, the Kansas City Chiefs in 2011, received a monster season from Jamaal Charles.
Miller was the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft after Cam Newton and has instantly become one of the NFL’s most productive pass rushers. Miller had 11.5 sacks as a rookie and then followed it up with 18.5 sacks in 2012 at just 23. Miller is an every down linebacker, but is almost single-mindedly focused on pressuring the quarterback and not ever dropping in coverage.
Miller is able to get to the quarterback as well as anyone in the NFL on the outside as well as the inside, making him incredibly difficult to contain.
Miller is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy, though there is a good chance that it is overturned and a source claims it wasn’t for a failed test. Miller had tested positive for marijuana in 2011.
Charles came out of Texas in 2008 and was the 73rd overall pick and eight other running backs were taken ahead of him. Charles ranks fourth in that class in rushing yards behind Chris Johnson, Ray Rice and Matt Forte, but ahead of Jonathan Stewart, Rashard Mendenhall, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Kevin Smith.
Unlike many of the other players on the list, Charles is amongst the youngest and also has fewer miles. Charles has 784 career carries compared to 1,463 for Johnson and over 1,200 for both Forte and Rice.
Charles came back from a torn ACL in 2011 to post 1,509 yards on 285 carries last season. Charles got better as the season progressed, Week 3’s 233-yard performance against the Saints aside, rushing for 100 or more yards in five of the final eight games.
Charles is rated No. 2 as the best running back since 2008 by Pro Football Focus behind Adrian Peterson and to do that while keeping his mileage down makes the 26-year-old capable of elevating to top tier running back status nationally.