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Bills edge rusher Von Miller at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024.
The Buffalo Bills made a big move on Von Miller last offseason, slashing his base pay to save cap space and adding a slew of new incentives that allowed him to earn the money back on the field.
After another shaky season from the veteran edge rusher, the Bills could make an even more drastic move this offseason.
The Bills are predicted to part ways with Miller, freeing up a significant amount of cap space and charting a new course on their defense. Miller has had a disappointing tenure in Buffalo since initially signing a $120 million contract, sidelined by injuries and off-the-field troubles.
Time for Bills to Move On?
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine suggested there was “little to no chance” that Miller would return to the Bills on his current contract, which is set to cost the team $23.8 million in 2025. While the Bills could seek another pay cut, Ballentine believes there could be a stronger case in “simply getting out of the contract and going younger.”
Getting rid of Miller would create $8.4 million in cap space, he wrote.
“Miller was still an important cog in the defensive front,” Ballentine wrote. “He only played 25 percent of the snaps, but he was third on the team in sacks with six. If the Bills believe they can replace that production for cheaper than the cap savings they get by cutting Miller then that makes sense.”
It initially seemed that Miller was worth the big investment from the Bills. He racked up 8.0 sacks through 11 games in his first season with the Bills in 2022, but then suffered a torn ACL and missed the remainder of the season.
When Miller returned to the field in 2023, he struggled to find his explosiveness at the line and had no sacks with just three total tackles through 12 games. Miller did bounce back a bit in 2024, but had only 6.0 total sacks in 13 games and was suspended for four games for accusations of domestic violence.
New Options for the Bills
The pass rush was often a weak point for the Bills in 2024, with the team failing to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. That was the case when the Bills met the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game, where quarterback Patrick Mahomes gouged the Bills through the air and on the ground.
Ballentine suggested the Bills could bring in some new talent to boost their pass rush, looking to free agency or the NFL draft.
“A free agent like Josh Uche might make sense,” Ballentine wrote. “They could also look to address the position in the draft with a project like Princely Umanmielen. Either way, they need a succession plan.”
Ronnie Eastham of SI.com suggested the Bills could also look into Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat, who is coming off a strong performance against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
“Josh Sweat recorded a solid eight sacks this season, and 15 QB hits,” Eastham wrote. “He has 43 career sacks, but only one season of double-digit numbers. He’ll turn 28 in March, so he has youth going for him still and Spotrac set his market value at three years, $56.46 million.”
