Malik Reed Ready to Apply the Pass-Rushing Lessons Gleaned from Von Miller
Von Miller’s probable season-ending leg injury has sent shockwaves though Broncos Country and the entire league. The Denver Broncos are losing their best player and the unquestioned locker-room leader.
Miller's loss is going to hurt Denver's chances in 2020 and perhaps catastrophically, depending on how the team responds. As the Broncos wake up to the stark reality of Miller's injury, the team has no choice but to trust in the age-old NFL philosophy of the 'next man up'.
That man is second-year edge rusher Malik Reed, who has already followed in the proud undrafted tradition that exists in the Mile High City. The 24-year-old Alabama native made the Broncos' 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie last year and showed some promise, registering two sacks and 27 tackles.
With Miller going down, all eyes are on Reed as that next man up. When the young pass rusher checked in with the KOARadio's Broncos Country Tonight show back in August during the heat of training camp, Reed revealed that he is much more comfortable with Vic Fangio’s scheme going into his sophomore year. As one of the stars of camp, that much seemed evident.
“The system, a system like this, you really have to have an understanding of it,” Reed told hosts Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright. “Being able to understand why I’m doing what I’m doing has meant so much. [It's] going so far in camp. I feel like that’s one of the biggest steps I’ve taken just understanding the defense. Last year was like I’m trying to know what I’m doing at each moment, now it’s like I know what I have to do—let’s go attack.”
Stepping into the starting lineup to replace one of the greatest pass rushers of his era will require intrinsic knowledge of where Reed needs to be on every play if he's going to even approach Miller’s game-wrecking level. Just learning at Miller's feet over the course of the last two training camps has served as a watershed and has provided a unique environment for Reed.
“I mean it’s awesome to have a guy that’s really a future, I believe, a future Hall of Famer,” Reed told KOA. “He’s been doing it for a long, long time, been playing at a high level for a long, long time.”
Looking up to Miller as a source of inspiration is natural for any young player who enters the Broncos locker room, especially for a young edge rusher. Miller’s on-field play will now be sorely missed, as will his penchant for passing on his tricks of the trade to guys who are still cutting their teeth in the league.
“To be able to have a guy in your corner, like to talk to and get advice from—little titbits in other games to see where you can help take your game to the next level,” Reed told KOA. “It speaks volumes of the person he is to have that. [Miller is a high level of athlete that’s so apt to help his teammates and help younger guys, bring them along, let them know where they can improve, where they can grow and where they are doing well is awesome man. It’s nothing short of a blessing to be here and to have a guy like that in your corner and on your team.”
The passing of the torch to Reed has come in via devastating circumstances but the Broncos hope the youngster can make the most of what he has learned from his illustrious teammate so far. Everyone's fingers are crossed in hopes of some good news on Miller's visit to Green Bay to get a second opinion on his ankle/tendon injury.
As it stands, Reed is the next man up. Jeremiah Attaochu will factor in as well. With Bradley Chubb still recovering from his surgically-repaired knee, the onus of setting the edge and getting after the quarterback will fall squarely on the shoulders of Reed and Attaochu.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.
