Getty Images

The Broncos know they’re not going to be seeing Von Miller when they open their offseason program today, since their franchise-tagged pass-rusher doesn’t have a new contract and doesn’t appear close to one.

But some are wondering when or if they will strike a long-term deal for Miller, based on some recent negotiations that show the hard-line stance the Broncos have taken on some contracts.

Via Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, a number of agents are pointing to the cut-rate deal they gave defensive end Derek Wolfe as evidence, suggesting that salary cap guy and former agent Mike Sullivan is driving hard bargains.

Wolfe signed a four-year, $36.7 million deal in January, well below market value based on what teammate Malik Jackson got in Jacksonville. Some think that emboldened the Broncos to try to beat everyone into sub-par deals.

“I think the Derek Wolfe deal screwed their heads up,” one agent said. “It made Sullivan believe he could get everyone to do bad deals. There is a lot of arrogance there.”

Another agent said of Sullivan: “[He] tries to make everyone eat a [expletive] sandwich. And we have long memories.”

Of course, Sullivan’s job isn’t to get good deals for clients any more (or to be popular among agents or their short-order cook), it’s to create salary cap stability for Broncos executive John Elway. And Elway seems to go along with the line-in-the-sand approach, letting Jackson and Danny Trevathan and Brock Osweiler walk this offseason, figuring he’ll find replacements elsewhere.

Of course, Miller’s not some replaceable part, as the Super Bowl MVP deservedly wants to be paid among the top defensive players in the league. But if the Broncos apply the same standards to him they have to others, the negotiations leading up to the July 15 deadline might require them to order in meals, and preferably something other than sandwiches.