Commanders signing Von Miller is genius or desperation (there is no in between)

Fans were clamoring for the Washington Commanders to sign another pass rusher before training camp. It took a while, but general manager Adam Peters finally granted their wish.

According to Tom Pelissero from the NFL Network, the Commanders are signing future Pro Football Hall of Fame edge rusher Von Miller on a one-year deal. Terms of the agreement haven't been disclosed, but it's another sign that Washington is going all in to dethrone the Philadelphia Eagles and reach the Super Bowl this season.

Miller's credentials need no introduction. He was the No. 2 overall pick and more than reached expectations. He's a two-time Super Bowl champion, a three-time All-Pro, has eight Pro Bowl selections to his name, and boasts 129.5 career sacks. Very few around the league (or in recent NFL history) boast this sort of résumé.

Commanders are banking on Von Miller having one more good year left before retirement

This will be Year 15 for Miller if you count the 2020 campaign he missed through injury, so it'll be interesting to see how much (if anything) he's got left in the tank. He's 36 years old with a lot of tread on the tires. His snap share reduced to 33 percent last season with the Buffalo Bills. That indicates he'll be used as a situational pass-rusher in Washington.

Players like Miller often turned away from the Commanders under the previous owner. But with fresh ambition and their sensational surge to the NFC Championship game in 2024, it's an attractive destination that accomplished veterans want to be a part of.

Signing Miller now has more benefits than just on-field production. It adds another leader to the locker room who'll command respect instantly. It gives the Texas A&M product the chance to participate in a full training camp with the team. sharpening his tools and integrating himself into Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s defensive concepts. It's unlikely he'll play in the preseason, but he won't need to.

In an ideal world, Miller will slot in and fill the void left by Dante Fowler Jr., who left in free agency for the Dallas Cowboys after gaining 10.5 sacks last season. He was a pass-rushing specialist deployed depending on the matchup or situation. That's a role the new addition can provide if there is still some juice left in the tank.

It might not move the needle all that much, but the Commanders had to do something. They were dangerously short of dependable options, especially compared to every division rival standing in their way. Miller won't solve every problem, but he gets them closer.

There's almost no chance Miller will get anything close to his career best 18.5 sacks (it's not 2012 anymore). But that doesn't mean he cannot make a considerable impact on and off the field before potentially bringing an end to his glittering NFL journey.

Time will tell…

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