Regardless of how you slice it, the Dallas Cowboys signing Von Miller this late into the offseason was a sensational move. He was the best edge defender still available in free agency, and now that he's back in his hometown state, other teams are panicking to pick up their own pass rushers.
In the 24 hours since the Cowboys officially brought in the eight-time Pro Bowler, two of their NFC foes have since signed other edge rushers. The Atlanta Falcons signed Za'Darius Smith, and the Chicago Bears signed Marcus Davenport, and neither of these players even holds a candle to Miller.
Dallas signed the 37-year-old to a one-year, $5.5 million deal worth a max value of $7.5 million, and that's somehow the best value of the three. Smith got $6 million from the Falcons, and regardless of what Davenport got from the Bears, it's probably too much, so Jerry Jones deserves his flowers.
The Dallas Cowboys kickstarted the ripple effect of pass-rush signings
Von Miller might be 37 years old and has certainly lost a step from his days as one of the best defenders in the NFL, but he's still a quality designated pass-rusher.
While playing for ex-Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn with the Commanders last season, he appeared in all 17 games and logged an impressive nine sacks.
Meanwhile, Za'Darius Smith retired after just five games since he knew he lost a step, and Davenport hasn't played in more than 10 games in a season since 2022. He's about as injury-prone as injury-prone gets, and his nine-sack breakout year in 2021 is starting to look more and more like a mirage.
As for Smith, he came out of retirement because the Falcons are desperate for edge rushers. The three-time Pro Bowler is being tasked with replacing both Jalon Walker and the suspended James Pearce Jr., but that's more due to his past with Kevin Stefanski and veteran leadership than talent.
There's no world where he deserves more money than the Cowboys gave an objectively better player in Miller, but all this does is make this deal look better. He might be older, but he's cheaper and more productive than both of the players signed after him. And he clearly wants to be playing for Dallas.
The Cowboys signing Von Miller helped two other pass-rush-needy teams spring into action, and it doesn't seem like much of a coincidence. It just so happens that the Za'Darius Smith and Marcus Davenport signings that followed looked much better since neither of them have improved with age.
And considering the former Super Bowl MVP can mentor the young defensive line, this signing is a complete home run.
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