One of the Raiders’ biggest rivals ever just floated an idea that the fan base would love because it would cause an AFC West team misery
The Las Vegas Raiders have an opportunity to sign former Denver Broncos edge rusher Von Miller, and that would be amazing.
Von Miller is a free agent after playing 17 games with the Washington Commanders last season, and the Las Vegas Raiders could be a fit for the future Hall of Famer. Miller recorded 9 sacks in his 14th NFL season, starting only 3 games, proving he can still get after the quarterback.
The Raiders finished 18th in sacks last year with 37, and their edge rotation beyond Maxx Crosby lacks proven depth. Miller recently appeared on a podcast with Crosby and dropped a not-so-subtle hint about where he might want to play next.
“I’d love to be on a team that has a great quarterback, a great pass rush, a system in place,” Miller said on Crosby’s podcast, before doing the Raiders chant. “When you get to year 16, and you start looking at lists, I need 3.5 sacks to separate myself.”
That 3.5 number matters. Miller currently sits ninth all-time with 138 career sacks. To pass Michael Strahan for sixth on the all-time list, he needs just 3 more. Bruce Smith holds the record at 200. Miller wants to climb the ladder before he hangs it up, and the Raiders could be the team that helps him do it.
Why Las Vegas makes sense
When you look at the Raiders’ edge rusher depth chart, the need is obvious. Crosby anchors one side, but the other side features Malcolm Koonce and a group of players who haven’t proven much at the NFL level. Adding Miller wouldn’t require Las Vegas to hand him a starting role or ask him to play every snap. On situational pass-rushing downs, third-and-long scenarios where defenses know a pass is coming, Miller could step in and provide real production.
He showed in Washington that he can thrive in a reduced role. Starting only 3 of 17 games, he still managed 9 sacks. That kind of production from a rotational edge rusher would be a significant boost for a Raiders pass rush that needs more firepower alongside Crosby.
The rivalry factor
Miller spent 10 years with the Denver Broncos, where he tallied 110 sacks and established himself as one of the best pass rushers in NFL history. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, where he had five sacks in eight games, before spending three years with the Buffalo Bills (14 sacks in three seasons).
He’s a former AFC West rival who was probably bred to dislike the Raiders, but his close friendship with Crosby seems to override any lingering rivalry tension. The two regularly do the Sack Summit together, and the chemistry is clearly there. Would it make Broncos fans sick to see Miller in silver and black? Absolutely. But that’s a side benefit, not the point.
Could it actually happen?
This is still hypothetical. The Raiders may be interested in adding a veteran edge rusher, but no reports have confirmed any discussions between the two sides. Miller is 37, and there’s no guarantee he plays in 2026 at all. But the pieces line up. Las Vegas needs pass rush depth, Miller wants a few more sacks to cement his legacy, and he’s already friends with the team’s best player.
Nobody is asking him to be a 17-game starter. On a veteran minimum deal in a reduced role, the risk is minimal, and the upside is real. The Raiders could help Von Miller chase history while helping themselves get to the quarterback more often. That’s the kind of move that makes too much sense to ignore entirely.