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 just 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 2026, and $30MM in 2027. With the numbers he’s put up in recent years, combined with his age and injury history, wherever Miller goes, he won’t be sniffing that kind of money.
If he truly wants to land with a contender, there are certainly options. In the AFC, the Chiefs are perennial title favorites. He could always return to Buffalo on a more favorable deal or head to the AFC North and visit the Ravens or Bengals. In the NFC, the Eagles and Lions have been powers in the last few years, and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post pointed out an intriguing connection with the Commanders. Washington’s general manager, Adam Peters, was serving as a national scout in Denver when the Broncos drafted Miller.
While he may not fetch a stellar price, Miller should have plenty of options to return to the field in 2025. His potential as a pass rusher should be enough, but the expertise he brings to the game can help mold younger, developing pass rushers, as well. While the pass rushing success of young players in Buffalo like Gregory Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa can’t be fully attributed to Miller, his presence surely didn’t hurt.
Miller joins a crowded free agent position group, though. Teams looking to grab an impact pass rusher will likely go after the likes of Josh Sweat, Khalil Mack, Malcolm Koonce, Chase Young, Haason Reddick, DeMarcus Lawrence, and others before coming to him.
Well , yeah.
No brainer tbh. Gotta be gearing up for something big now instead of waiting for more savings on June 1st.
That contract was amazing for him when it happened.
Duh
next Chicago Bear
Linebacker is the one position that the Bears have been historically strong at developing so I think they can take a pass on Von.
History doesn’t have anything to do with a brand new staff. And we’re talking about a team whose only really good current edge rusher was a sign and trade acquisition. (Their top two linebackers were also free agent signings, but Miller isn’t a linebacker in that sense.)
Jets fans want to believe history is meaningless because they haven’t won anything of significance since 1969. A locker room plaque that reads “History doesn’t have anything to do with a brand new staff” might look good… but are any of the veteran players going to buy into that?
We are talking about a player will did little better than Sweat did last season. Mack, Miller, either are fairly bad choices if you have to pay dearly. If they do not want a ton, they are fine, but really these guys almost are 3rd down type of players (if they do not demand that in their contracts) which, even for the Bears, would not be horrible. They just cannot be asking for a lot.
The Bears cannot overpay at this point, as they are not ready for the ‘only need one player’ mentality yet. So of course it means they sign on of these guys to a large amount 1 year deal.
Bears run a 4-3.
Welcome back home to the Broncos
As long as they don’t pay more than league minimum. He’s shot, just chasing stats at this point (forget about what the team needs him to do).
He seems like a classic Ravens mercenary move.
If you watched him play the last two years, you’d think otherwise. Dude is toast.
I’m not saying he can play anything like the role he once did, but I think he can still offer something in a part time rotational role on a much lower salary, which is something Baltimore has made happen with past their prime edge rushers many times.
Exactly. The same things were said about the likes of Clowney and Van Noy before they revived their careers with the Ravens
They squeezed the last few drops out of Justin Houston, too.
Guess what…bet you he’s in denial about his ability vs what salary he would accept to keep playing…..guaranteed money up front for very diminished performance and an inability to stay on the field……any contract would be front loaded with plenty of $$$ incentives to get him to sign……time to reserve a place on the couch…..
Dude had 40 pressures while missing significant time. Dude can clearly still play, just not at the absolutely elite level from a few years ago.
Yeh..but the problem is that the “dude” will only play if he gets the pay……he’s not willing to be paid commensurate with his current ability to stay on the field and his level of play….old man at the age of 36….time for younger studs….”dude”
Zero clue why you’re responding. My comment was in response to the morons saying he’s “washed.”
Good. Low class man. Low character.