Look, misery doesn’t love company. And the company, well, it certainly doesn’t love the misery.

When free agent Shaun Phillips was weighing his NFL options, he wanted to push misery off the scale.

“At this point in my career, I’ve made some money. I’ve done that,” Phillips said. “So it was really just down to do you go to the team that pays you the most money and you have a miserable season? Or do you go to a team that will take care of you and give you a chance to win?

“I’ve played nine years. I’ve been to the Pro Bowl, played in the AFC championship, but I haven’t played in a Super Bowl. I want to play and have a chance to win a Super Bowl. You’re not going to have that chance if you’re the miserable guy in a miserable situation wondering when the season is going to be over. That’s not what I’m about.”

Phillips narrowed his choices to the Broncos and Houston Texans. Denver’s Peyton Manning-powered offense and top-five defense broke the tie.

“There were only two fits in my mind, the Houston Texans and here,” Phillips said. “I got offered a nice amount of money to go to Oakland, but that just wasn’t for me at this stage. I could have gone other places, but this is the place. You want to be part of something like this.”

Phillips might be the X factor in the Denver defense. While Von Miller is the unquestioned difference maker, Phillips could be what the Broncos need in the wake of Elvis Dumervil’s messy departure. Especially if Phillips, who turned 32 this month, sticks to his customary pace when it comes to chasing down quarterbacks.

“I just look at what Von can do,” Phillips said. “If you play with a guy like Von, you’re going to be one-on-one a lot because if they don’t double Von, he’s getting a sack, a forced fumble, he’s just wrecking something. You have to double Von. So me and lot of guys are going to have matchups we can win, ones we have to win, because of what Von does.

“I’ve been able to sack the quarterback. I’d like to continue that, maybe help Von get some space, help us win.”

Phillips had 9½ sacks for a seven-win San Diego Chargers team last season that didn’t have another player who could consistently draw extra blockers. That was only half a sack behind John Abraham and was 4½ more than Dwight Freeney, who visited Broncos headquarters before Phillips.

Since the start of the 2006 season — Dumervil’s rookie year — Phillips has 58½ sacks and 20 forced fumbles, including seven forced fumbles in 2009. Dumervil had 63½ sacks over the same span, including a league-leading 17 in 2009. But he missed the 2010 season because of a chest injury. He has 16 forced fumbles, including six last season.

Phillips believed in his potential in Denver so much, he signed a one-year contract ($1 million base salary) without a signing bonus. He can earn $400,000 bonuses for 10, 12 and 14 sacks.

“We brought (Phillips) here and put him in the mix,” said Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. “He’s a guy that had close to 10 sacks last year.”

The Broncos have placed Phillips at strongside linebacker — as Miller’s backup — but figure to move him around the defense, including using him in some pass-rush situations with Miller. That’s something Miller would welcome.

“I’ve been knowing Shaun even before I came to the Denver Broncos,” Miller said. “We’re friends first. I talk to him about stuff — how you play the position, how you rush right here, what did you see?”

After playing in San Diego’s 3-4 defense for nine seasons, Phillips will be asked to do a variety of jobs in the Denver defense. That will include some pass coverage, something Phillips got a taste of during the Broncos’ first week of organized team activities.

“It’s a little tougher. They have me covering the tight ends a little bit more, and not just rushing the passer. There’s a learning curve there,” Phillips said. “But after about five minutes in this building, I knew this was the spot, just the guys they have around here, guys that want to win. I’ve called it a no-brainer, because if I didn’t sign here it probably meant I lost my mind.”

Jeff Legwold: legwold@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jeff_legwold