Former Texas A&M Aggies edge rusher Von Miller will almost certainly be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when all is said and done, it’s fair to wonder how much he has left in the tank.
Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, is now halfway through a six-year, $120 million with the Buffalo Bills that he signed in 2022. With just 14 sacks since then, including just six in the past two years, he hasn’t been living up to that deal. Frankly, this contract always seemed like a glorifieid three-year deal, but Miller’s play has made Buffalo’s decision easier.
Now that’s not to say that the Bills have already decided to move on from Miller. In fact, ESPN insider Dan Graziano reports that Miller essentially has a coin flip chance to stay in Buffalo.
“Buffalo hasn’t ruled out bringing back veteran edge rusher Von Miller, who turns 36 later this month,” Graziano wrote. “But the Bills have to find a way to rework his contract and get him to agree to a pay cut from his currently scheduled $17.5 million. One source I spoke to described Miller’s return to Buffalo as a ’50-50′ proposition.”
According to OverTheCap, the Bills are currently around $9.7 million above the salary cap before the start of the new league year next week. They could save around $8.4 million against the cap by cutting Miller, by far the most of any player on the team. If they release him with a post-June 1 designation, those savings increase to around $17.4 million this season, though they will take on a bit more dead money in 2026.
The Bills, who went 13-4 before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, have numerous free agents to re-sign, including wide receiver Amari Cooper and cornerback Rasul Douglas. They also want to make some additions in free agency as they look to finally get over the postseason hump. With that context, it makes sense why they’d look to move on from a 36-year-old who played just a third of possible defensive snaps this season.
