When Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Von Miller first came to Orchard Park, N.Y., he made his intentions clear. He wanted to win a third Super Bowl ring with a new team. The two-time Super Bowl champion had helped guide two franchises to a title, and Buffalo seemed like the ideal place to hoist another Lombardi Trophy.
Those dreams never came to fruition. Although the Bills posted a 37-13 record in the past three seasons, their playoff runs came to a disappointing end each time. After playing just 16 snaps in the AFC Championship Game, Miller’s time in Buffalo may be coming to an end.
The Bills are expected to release Miller as a salary cap casualty this offseason, according to Mark Gaughan of Buffalo News. Miller’s $23.8 salary cap hit is the second-highest on the team, and releasing him with a post-June 1 designation would save roughly $14.7 million in cap space.
Broncos’ reunion with Von Miller isn’t as appealing as it sounds
If Miller becomes a free agent, the Denver Broncos may seem like the obvious landing spot. The 13-year veteran has expressed interest in reuniting with the team that selected him with the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, but that reunion may not be as exciting as it sounds.
Miller, who turns 36 in March, is no longer the pass-rushing phenom who terrorized quarterbacks for the Mile High City for a decade. Miller was named to eight Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro teams through the first nine years of his career, but he never returned to form after missing the 2020 season with an ankle injury. Miller’s 129.5 career sacks are the most among all active players, but he’s only notched 19 sacks in his four seasons since leaving Denver.
If the Broncos sign Miller, it should be a ceremonial one-day contract so he can retire as a member of the organization. Denver’s defense already features Pro Bowl outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper, the latter of whom signed a $60 million contract extension last November. Bonitto and Cooper both had career-best seasons in 2024, finishing with a combined 23.5 sacks. Backups Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman also had five sacks each in a rotational role.
In the prime of his career, Miller was any quarterback’s worst nightmare. Along with his incredible burst off the line of scrimmage, he could bend the corner and dip under helpless offensive tackles to strip the ball away from the quarterback in an instant. The 2011 Rookie of the Year compiled accolades on an annual basis, and he was named Super Bowl MVP in Denver’s Super Bowl 50 championship.