ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — In a significant move, the Buffalo Bills have decided to part ways with Von Miller, an experienced edge rusher. This decision was announced on Sunday, marking the end of Miller’s tenure in Buffalo. At 36 years old, Miller’s performance on the field has not matched the financial demands of his contract, prompting the team to seek relief from his steep salary.
The release of Miller is expected to clear about $8.4 million in salary cap space for the Bills. This adjustment nearly offsets the projected cap overage the team faced ahead of the NFL’s new year, which commences on Wednesday. Despite this, a considerable part of Miller’s contract remains on their financial books, projected to impact the cap by over $15 million this year.
In their announcement, the Bills shared a heartfelt message on their social media platform, featuring a photo of Miller accompanied by the words “Thank You Von.”
With 14 years in the league, Miller is currently the NFL’s active leader in sacks and will soon celebrate his 36th birthday. Last year, he narrowly avoided a release by accepting a significant pay cut to reduce his cap hit. It’s uncertain if any similar contract alterations were considered between Miller and the Bills during this offseason.
Following their defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in January, Miller had expressed hope to stay with the Bills for another season. He optimistically stated, “There’s always some stuff that you can work out or something that you can do,” and added his intention to remain with the team.
However, General Manager Brandon Beane remained non-committal about Miller’s future when questioned during the NFL combine in Indianapolis last month. Beane emphasized focusing on building around young talent, having successfully secured long-term contracts for players such as Greg Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, and Khalil Shakir.
Miller’s original six-year, $120 million contract with the Bills was a gamble taken by Beane, as Miller opted to join Buffalo instead of staying with the Los Angeles Rams post his second Super Bowl win. Initially, Miller impressed by leading the team with eight sacks in his first 10 games of the 2022 season. Unfortunately, an ACL injury suffered in Week 11 curtailed his season, hindering his effectiveness and recovery significantly.
Failing to register any sacks during the regular or post-season games in 2023, Miller’s contributions dwindled to six sacks across 15 games, including playoffs. His role was limited primarily to pass-rushing while averaging just over 21 snaps per game.
Miller’s NFL journey also faced complications due to a four-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, stemming from allegations of an assault that led to an arrest — albeit without formal charges.
Approaching free agency for the second time, Miller’s future in the league remains uncertain. His legacy on the field is significant, with 129 1/2 career sacks placing him 16th since the sack became an official statistic in 1982, just two behind legends like Lawrence Taylor and Leslie O’Neal.
Entering the 2011 draft, Miller was the No. 2 overall pick and spent over a decade with the Denver Broncos. During his early years, he claimed the NFL defensive rookie of the year accolade and played a central role in securing a Super Bowl victory for Denver in the 2015 season.
