Shortly after securing their future at the pass rushing position, the Bills are moving on from a veteran at the same position. According to a joint report from NFL Network reporters Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Buffalo is releasing pass rusher Von Miller. It’s a cost-cutting move as the Bills take advantage of a potential out built into the 35-year-old’s contract.
Miller was three years into a six-year, $120MM extension, but a potential out was built in after the third year of the deal. At this point in the contract, Miller had no remaining guarantees, and the Bills are able to cut him with $15.42MM of dead money and $8.4MM in cap savings. If the team were to have designated him as a post-June 1 release, they could’ve lessened the dead money to $6.37MM, increasing the cap savings to $17.44MM, but Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports that this is a regular, pre-June 1 release.
Though, Miller is set to turn 36 before the next regular season starts, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports that Miller “plans to play” in 2025 for his 15th year of NFL football. While multiple reports have claimed that both Buffalo and Miller are open to a reunion on a cheaper deal, Miller will have the option to explore opportunities with other contending teams now that he has been released. Miller would be in pursuit of his third Super Bowl victory.
Miller is one of the most accomplished pass rushers in NFL history. Since sacks became an official stat in 1982, Miller ranks 16th all-time with 129.5. Just eight more sacks would put him in the top 10. With three teams, he’s been a three-time first-team All-Pro, a four-time second-team All-Pro, and an eight-time Pro Bowler. He also won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 as the No. 2 overall pick out of Texas A&M and was a Super Bowl MVP.
It’s been a long time since many of those accolades occurred, though. In fact, they all came during his 11-year tenure in Denver. After sitting out the entire 2020 season with injury, Miller was traded midseason to the Rams, with whom he won his second Super Bowl. He hasn’t reached double-digit sacks since 2018, and he only has six total over the past two years in Buffalo, with all six coming this past season.
With that six-sack season, he was able to display that he still has the talent to be a situational pass rusher in the NFL, but he’ll likely need to lower his expectations on compensation. Miller was due to earn $17.5MM in cash this season with Buffalo, $20MM in…