Denver Broncos trade star linebacker Von Miller to Los Angeles Rams

Nov. 1 (UPI) -- The Denver Broncos agreed to trade All-Pro linebacker Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, the teams announced.

The Rams acquired Miller from the Broncos in exchange for a second-round pick and a third-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, according to the team. ESPN reported that Denver also will pay $9 million of Miller's remaining $9.7 million base salary for the nine games left in the regular season.

Miller, sitting in the backseat of an SUV as he left the Broncos' facility Monday, told reporters that he was caught off guard by the trade.

"It's still kind of hard to put into words. It's still kind of raw, but thank you, thank everybody, and off to L.A.," an emotional Miller said. "It's still hard -- you can't really put it into words. Somebody told me once, 'You want to make God laugh, then make plans.' You've just got to keep going, keep taking it one day at a time.

"I've got a beautiful baby boy, had a lot of beautiful years here, lot of great memories, lot of great teammates, lot of great coaches, lot of great fans."

Miller is joining a Rams team that has lost only one game this season. Los Angeles (7-1) is among the favorites to make a run to Super Bowl LVI.

"Great team. I've been a huge fan of [Rams defensive lineman] Aaron Donald for a long time," Miller said. "They got a great defense. I'm excited, always been a great teammate and I'm going to continue to do that."

The Broncos selected Miller with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft out of Texas A&M. He was in the final season of the six-year, $114.5 million contract that he signed in July 2016, six months after he captured Super Bowl 50 MVP honors.

Miller is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

The 32-year-old Miller, who is the league's active sacks leader with 110.5, has earned eight Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro nods in his career. He was chosen for the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's board of selectors.

In seven games this season, Miller has notched 19 total tackles and 4.5 sacks.