Von Miller doesn’t get too particular about what jersey number he wears. He shaped the bulk of his Hall of Fame career wearing No. 58 with the Denver Broncos, and he had No. 40 with the Buffalo Bills.

Both were taken with the Washington Commanders, which meant he had to pick something else. So, he chose No. 24, which might seem a bit random at first glance, but the number spoke to Miller on several levels, from the connections to his new team to a deeper meaning in his personal life and an homage to former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant.

“I’ve only worn four numbers my whole entire career from little league all the way up until now,” Miller said. “And I wore 58 only in Denver. I wore 40 in LA and 40 in Buffalo. I wore five in junior high school, but obviously five is taken here. And I wore 24 for one game in college.”

The one game Miller wore No. 24 was in honor of a high school friend, Cory Borner, who suffered an injury during a game while playing for DeSoto High School that paralyzed him from the neck down. Borner has been at the forefront of neuro-therapy. He wore an exoskeleton suit that allowed him to walk — his first steps in 12 years — for his college graduation in 2022.

Miller and his fellow Texas A&M teammate, Cyrus Grey, both wore No. 24 — Borner’s high school number — for one game to honor him.

There are other reasons why Miller wanted to wear No. 24 with the Commanders. He did it as a sign of respect for cornerback Champ Bailey — his former teammate with the Broncos who started his career with Washington. Bailey, identified by the franchise as one of its 90 Greatest Players, was selected to four Pro Bowls and 18 interceptions to go with 81 pass breakups in 80 games.

“Respect Champ Bailey a lot,” Miller told The Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala. “Played with Champ Bailey for three years, one of my big brothers, and he played here and he wore 24.”

Miller doesn’t care what number he wears when it comes to his performance on the field – he said “I can still roll out the bed at 36 years old with my house shoes on and still rush the passer” — but like his decision to join the Commanders, it was an intentional choice for him to pick No. 24.

Miller has crafted a unique legacy with each of the numbers he has worn throughout his playing career. Perhaps he will do the same while with the Burgundy & Gold.

Here are some observations from Friday’s practice: