ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills made the long-anticipated salary cap-saving decision to release edge rusher Von Miller on Sunday, the team announced.
The Bills are parting ways with a high-profile but aging player who turns 36 later this month and whose contract proved too expensive for his dwindling playing time and production.
The move allows the Bills to free up at least $8.4 million in salary cap space, which comes close to matching how much the team was projected to be over the limit before the NFL’s new year begins Wednesday. Nevertheless, a portion of Miller’s contract will remain on Buffalo’s books this year and is projected to count more than $15 million against the cap.
Miller avoided being released a year ago by agreeing to take a substantial pay cut to lower his cap number. It’s unclear if the two sides considered a similar contract restructuring this offseason. Miller expressed optimism he’d remain in Buffalo for a fourth season after the Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in January.
The NFL’s active leader in sacks failed to play to the high expectations Bills general manager Brandon Beane had in making the bold gamble to sign Miller to a six-year, $120 million contract three years ago. Miller chose Buffalo instead of re-signing with the Los Angeles Rams after winning his second Super Bowl.
After leading the Bills with eight sacks through his first 10 games in 2022, Miller tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 11, an injury from which he never fully recovered.
He failed to register a sack in 12 regular-season and two playoff games in 2023. Miller had six sacks in 15 games, including playoffs, last season. His playing time was severely limited to mostly pass-rush situations in averaging 21 1/2 snaps per regular-season outing.
Miller also missed four games because of an NFL suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The suspension stemmed from allegations that Miller assaulted his pregnant girlfriend a year earlier. He was arrested but never charged.
The future is cloudy for a player who enters free agency for just the second time entering what would become his 15th season. His 129 1/2 sacks rank 16th — two behind Lawrence Taylor and Leslie O’Neal since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
Miller was the No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft and spent his first 10-plus seasons with the Denver Broncos. He earned NFL defensive rookie of the year honors and appeared in two Super Bowls with Denver, including the Broncos’ win in the 2015 season.