Commanders linebacker Von Miller still confident in pass rushing
"I can still roll out of bed at 36 years old with my shoes on and rush the passer," Miller said Thursday. "I can do that right when I wake up fresh out of sleep. I love rushing the passer."
Miller joined a Washington squad in need of pass rushers on a one-year, $6.1 million contract. The Commanders notched 43 sacks last year, 11th-most in the league, but lost their sack leader Dante Fowler Jr. (10.5) in free agency.
Once one of the NFL's most feared defenders and an every-down player, Miller has evolved into a situational pass rusher; he played only 25.27 percent of Buffalo's defensive snaps last season.
Washington will especially lean on its younger rotational pass rush pieces, given that they were one of the worst run defenses in the league last season and need defensive ends who can set the edge.
The surefire Hall of Famer has won two Super Bowls -- in 2015 with the Denver Broncos and 2021 with the Los Angeles Rams. After three years with a Buffalo Bills squad that couldn't make it over the hump, he signed with Washington to contend for another.
The Commanders made a surprise trip to the NFC championship game last year, the franchise's first since 1991. They currently hold the seventh-best Super Bowl odds ahead of next season.
"You can't just leave Josh Allen for anywhere," Miller said. "You can't go from the AFC championship and go anywhere. ... This team is all about winning. I'm all about winning. That's why I'm here is to win."
--Field Level Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
9 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons demands trade: ‘I no longer want to be here'
Superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons requested a trade on Friday, declaring on social media that 'I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys.' Parsons, 26, has not been taking part in on-field activities at training camp while seeking a long-term extension that would make him one of the league's highest-paid defensive players. The Athletic reported earlier Friday that the team and the two-time All-Pro are still 'far apart' with their contract numbers. Of course, Parsons could be bluffing to force the Cowboys' hand, but the language in his lengthy post Friday on X clearly communicated his frustration. Thank you Dallas 🦁👑 🙏🏾! I 'Yes I wanted to be here. I did everything I could to show that I wanted to be a Cowboys and wear the star on my helmet,' Parsons wrote. '... Unfortunately I no longer want to be here. I no longer want to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization our fans and my teammates. I no longer want narratives created and spread to the media about me.' Parsons said his attempts to discuss an extension started after the 2023 season but have repeatedly been met by 'radio silence' from the Cowboys. 'Up to today the team has not had a single conversation with my agent about a contract,' Parsons wrote. 'Not one demand has been made by my agent about money, years or anything else. 'Still I stayed quiet but again after repeated shots at myself and all the narratives I have made a tough decision I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys. My trade request has been submitted to Stephen Jones personally.' Parsons is scheduled to earn $24m this season on his fifth-year option. The 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has recorded double-digit sacks in each of his first four seasons and has watched the market for pass rushers explode. Defensive end Myles Garrett signed a four-year, $160m extension with the Cleveland Browns. Maxx Crosby inked a three-year, $106.5m extension with the Las Vegas Raiders. TJ Watt's extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers was for three years and $123m. A Parsons extension likely would be in the same ballpark – or more. Per the Athletic, Parsons and team owner Jerry Jones talked directly in the spring, and the Cowboys believe those conversations were negotiations with a deal for an extension in place. The Parsons' camp instead portrayed the meetings as talks and not negotiations, and that the Cowboys have declined to negotiate with his agent because team officials believed an agreement already was in place. Speaking in April at the NFL's annual league meeting, Jones acknowledged his conversation with Parsons, saying the two spoke for 'five or six hours' to work out a long-term extension. 'Most of the issues we are in agreement on. We discussed it all,' Jones said April 1. 'But we obviously don't have an agreement relative to the new contract.' The Dallas Morning News reported in March that Parsons was seeking a record- setting $200m contract extension that would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Parsons recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season. A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first four seasons in the league, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 career games (all starts).
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Louis Rees-Zammit has had ‘unbelievable' interest from rugby union teams
Rees-Zammit, 24, spent 18 months in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars, but did not feature for either franchise in a regular-season game. The former Gloucester wing, who made 32 appearances for Wales and toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2021, said he hopes to rekindle his international career. Rees-Zammit told Sky Sports News: 'I can't name teams, but I've had a load of interest, which is unbelievable. I'm very grateful for that. 'The season starts pretty soon. So it's about finding the right team for me in terms of location, in terms of how quick I've got to get into camp, and because the season's right around the corner, so all of these things that are going to happen, are going to happen pretty sharpish. 'Me and my brother are going through negotiations and seeing teams interested, which is amazing. We should find out in the next week or so.' Rees-Zammit quit rugby union in January 2024 in order to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL via its International Player Pathway Program. He signed an active roster deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 2025 season after being part of their practice squad for the previous campaign and travelled to London for the games against the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots in October. Following his decision to return to the 15-man game, Rees-Zammit has targeted a return for Wales, who he helped to their last Six Nations triumph in 2021. He added: 'Playing for my country is the pinnacle and it's one that I absolutely love doing. 'I managed to play 32 times for my country in three, four years. I need to find a team. Once we find a team, get into good form and hopefully come Autumn Internationals, see where selection is. 'It's something that I'm really looking forward to and I really want to play for my country again.' Rees-Zammit's ambition will come as a welcome boost to recently-appointed Wales head coach Steve Tandy, who takes over a side that only ended an 18-match losing streak that lasted almost two years with a hard-fought win over Japan last month.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
NFL WAG reveals brutal reality of the league after her husband's shock release in wake of horrific neck injury
An NFL WAG has revealed the brutal reality of the league after her husband was released by his team during his recovery from a broken neck. It was revealed on Wednesday that the Cincinnati Bengals had cut running back Zack Moss, following an official announcement from the team. Moss, 27, was previously on the non-football injury list pertaining to a neck injury that cut his season short in 2024. Moss' wife, Jessica, had previously taken to social media to talk about 'one of the hardest weeks' after Moss returned to the Bengals' training camp. Then, after the running back was officially cut from the side, Jessica returned to TikTok to open up about the brutal decision. In a video posted on the platform, she said: 'I'm on my daily walk with my two kiddos after finding out that my husband was just released from his job. 'For those who don't know, my husband is a running back for the Bengals and I received a text from him this morning saying that he was just released by the team. 'This wasn't super surprising news to me because he is injured - he's recovering from a neck injury. For those who don't know, neck injuries are very severe, especially in the NFL. 'Obviously the team had their reasons for releasing him or whatever but 'lack of talent' isn't one of them. He's a great pass blocker, one of the reasons that Cincinnati wanted him. But anyway, I wasn't going to let that keep me in a bad space'. In a previous video that Jessica posted, she revealed that Zack had been suffering from 'scary symptoms' as a result of the injury. 'He is recovering from an injury from last season. He fractured his neck and he is not completely healthy yet. He has some scary symptoms and we are just rehabbing and doing everything [he] can to get healthy.' Last season, Moss signed a two-year contract worth $8million. He then re-structured his deal for a contract worth $1.7m in 2025. Cutting him leads to the Bengals eating a $1.88m dead cap penalty, but will net Cincinnati $1.2m in cap savings. Moss' return from injury coincided with an already-packed running back room at Paycor Stadium. Jessica, who wed Zack in October 2022, is often seen supporting her husband at training Moss' absence led to the rise of Chase Brown, a 2024 draft pick, as one of the best young running backs in the NFL. Add to that the selection of Texas Tech rusher Tahj Brooks in the sixth round of this year's draft and the re-signing of Samaje Perine, and the Bengals seemed chock full of running back options. According to The Athletic, Moss discussed retirement with Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. However, with three young children, Moss hoped to earn more NFL money before eventually calling it quits.
