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3 Low-Cost Free Agents the Broncos Can Sign to Replace Von Miller

By David Kaestle

Ezekiel Ansah could be a perfect replacement for Von Miller.
Ezekiel Ansah could be a perfect replacement for Von Miller. / Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
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The Broncos' defense was dealt a crushing blow on Tuesday with star linebacker Von Miller suffering a potentially season-ending ankle injury. To make matters worse, it looks as though their pass rusher on the other side, Bradley Chubb, won't be ready to suit up Week 1 either coming off a torn ACL.

This leaves what should have been a daunting Denver defense shorthanded heading into the 2020 season. With this in mind, let's take a look at three low-cost pass rushers the Broncos can sign to replace Von Miller.

1. Ezekiel Ansah

Ezekiel Ansah during a game against the New Orleans Saints.
Ezekiel Ansah during a game against the New Orleans Saints. / Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Just a few years ago, Ezekiel Ansah was considered one of the league's best pass-rushers. However, in the two years since he had 12.0 sacks in 2017, Ansah has had a combined 6.5 sacks. This drop in production should make him available on the cheap. He played for the Seattle Seahawks one a one-year, $9 million deal last season, but with no team this late in the offseason, Denver should be able to get a decent discount on that number. Ansah might not be the player he once was, but he certainly has the best chance of remaining free agents to make up most of the production lost by Miller.

2. Cameron Wake

Cameron Wake before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cameron Wake before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. / Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

At age 38, Cameron Wake won't be an every-down rusher like Miller was, but he could be perfect in a situational role if the Broncos wanted to piece together a few guys to fill the spot. He had just 2.5 sacks last year, but in his limited role that can be expected. Not too long ago in 2016 and 2017, Wake had back-to-back double-digit sack seasons. He still has the desire to play and proved he can be effective for a good defense in a limited role, even at his advanced age.

3. Jabaal Sheard

Jabaal Sheard before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jabaal Sheard before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. / Bobby Ellis/Getty Images

Jabaal Sheard's numbers won't wow you, but he has been a model of consistency the last few years. He has had at least 4.5 sacks every season since 2015, and of his nine seasons in the NFL, he has only had less than 4.5 sacks one time. He, like Wake, could become a solid rotational piece to pair with what the Broncos currently have on the roster.

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David Kaestle is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, David also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username davekaestle. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.