Broncos LB  Von Miller was coveted by many teams before the 2011 draft, including the Browns. (US Presswire)

Broncos LB Von Miller is one-third of the reason why the 2011 draft might go down as the most bountiful for pass rushers in recent memory; he and the other two Defensive Player of the Year candidates, San Francisco LB Aldon Smith and Houston DE J.J. Watt, sit atop the league in sacks, with a combined 55 among them this year.

All three were coveted, but Miller was the most prized -- and his No. 2 draft status reflected that. But had he unexpectedly dropped, he would have been on the other sideline for the Broncos-Browns duel Sunday.

"I had a chance to go to the Browns if I didn't go to the Bills or the Broncos or Arizona," Miller recalled Wednesday. "I actually went to go visit the Browns and talked to (then-team president) Mike Holmgren.

"He told me they were going to take me if I was available. I didn't believe it at the time, but he told me I wouldn't make it down to the Cleveland Browns, but he told me if I did, he was going to take me. It was a blessing that I got picked at No. 2."

With Miller long off the board by the time the No. 6 pick arrived, the Browns traded it to the Falcons for a package of five selections, including Atlanta's first-round picks in 2011 and 2012.

"I sat down and thought about playing for the Browns. It's a great organization and I love the history and everything about it," Miller said. "But I'm happy to be a Denver Bronco."

Weeden, 'Plan B'? Broncos executive vice president John Elway famously said, "There is no Plan B," after Peyton Manning was placed on the Broncos' depth chart when Manning was introduced to Denver media in March.

But as the team looked to upgrade its quarterback position in March, the backup plan -- if its pursuit of Manning had failed -- might have been Browns QB Brandon Weeden.

Hours before Elway and head coach John Fox met with Manning, they were in Stillwater, Okla., having dinner with Weeden in advance of his Pro Day workout the next morning. After Weeden had completed his work, they returned to Denver with Manning in tow for the quarterback's first visit of his whirlwind free-agency tour.

"We wouldn't have spent the time and effort evaluating [Weeden] if it wasn't a consideration," Fox said. "It's hard to deal with could-have-beens, but he's a guy that definitely was on our radar and a guy that we definitely liked."

Kuper Sits Out: RG Chris Kuper did not practice Wednesday. He has missed the last two games because of an issue with scar tissue in his left ankle, which has been injured twice in the last 12 months -- last Jan. 1 against Kansas City and Nov. 4 at Cincinnati. Kuper practiced last week but was scratched from the lineup at Baltimore. He has started just five of 14 games so far this season; RG Manny Ramirez has filled in for him in the others.

Notes: Joining Kuper on the sideline Wednesday was FB Chris Gronkowski, who sat out because of a hamstring problem. Safety Mike Adams (knee) and DT Kevin Vickerson (groin) were limited.

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