Von Miller has remained healthy this season, but he will be absent from the Bills for a notable stretch. The All-Pro edge rusher has been an issued a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, per a league announcement. 
Miller was arrested last December on a domestic violence charge. The 35-year-old – who faced a third-degree felony charge – denied the allegations during his first public remarks on the matter, calling them “100% false.” A league investigation into the matter took place, and in March commissioner Roger Goodell said a suspension “was not appropriate based on the facts.” The incident remained under league review after that point, however.
It is possible further investigation has now led to a ban, although the NFL did not specify which incident led to today’s suspension. Miller was not placed on the commissioner’s exempt list ahead of the campaign, something which is common in cases of domestic violence. The three-time All-Pro appeared in all four of Buffalo’s games this season, albeit in a rotational capacity. Miller has logged a snap share of 35%, which is roughly in line with his usage from a 2023 campaign in which his effectiveness was hindered by his ACL recovery.
Miller was one of many Bills whose contracts was restructured this offseason. As a result of that move, no guaranteed salary remains on his pact beyond 2024. The two-time Super Bowl champion’s value took a nosedive in 2023 when he was held without a sack. His debut Buffalo campaign included eight sacks in 11 games, though, so expectations were high for a rebound provided he remained healthy. Miller has notched three sacks this season.
In his absence, the Bills will move forward with the likes of Gregory Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Dawuane Smoot and Javon Solomon along the edge. The team sits at 3-1 on the year but a defense which has been dealing with several impactful injuries has now lost another contributor for one month.
link to youtube.com
Is it too late now to say sorry?
Can they cut him & terminate the contract w/o cap penalties?
No. His salary this season is guaranteed. Besides, we still need him.
I do not know the cap ramifications, or if Von got the clause dropped as part of his offseason restructure, but his original Bills contract did have language allowing the team to void his deal if suspended by the NFL for personal conduct.
Unfortunately no.
When it rains it pours. The timing couldn’t be worse, ugh. See you in a month VM.
Setting up the Chiefs 3peat
Watch now Rice is out for season Goodell will put time served for his killing ppl
Miller could have been penalized last yr which would have been more meaningful if it was about integrity and accountability
Killing people?!
What a shame you can’t delete this stupid comment. Rice didn’t kill anyone.
So what’s the hold up with rice?
The NFL has such a backlog of guys needing suspensions it’s gonna take time.
Beat a pregnant woman and get 4 games a year later but the guy from the Browns got a quick 5 games.
Think you’re complaining about the wrong injustice. If he actually did it, instead of a four game suspension, shouldn’t he be serving at least 6 months to a year, minimum, plus mandatory counseling? Make it aggravated due to the pregnancy and give him a nickle?
You’re right, but because she changed her tune the prosecution didn’t proceed. People hate the NFL and Roger for punishing without a conviction, but they punish for bringing a bad look on the shield.
He has a better publicist than he other guy, his penalty should be worse.
Watched the whole Buffalo game the other day and not sure I even heard his name…
A more real headline would be they suspended the ghost of Von Miller.
He’s awful.
He’s actually been pretty good this season. Nice of the league to let him play for more than a year until he got healthy before handing out a suspension. Rice will probably serve his while recuperating…
He was awful last year for sure – most Bills fans were frustrated he was still getting playing time.
This year though, he has been really good.
On the plus side, this should allow Miller more time to plan for his annual Halloween party…although I suspect Goodell may not be on the guest list.
Bills still have a good d-line, even though the Ravens shredded them. I don’t think anyone will miss Von Miller at all. Hope he gets his head on straight and stops the nonsense.
Bills are a horrible franchise for sticking by this scum bag. Cut Araiza knowing about the allegations before they drafted him and still drafted him. Noise gets made, they cut him. Miller “allegedly” beats a pregnant woman, stays on the team, gets suspended, and the Bills stick with him.
Must be a special kind of privilege.
Only the Bills huh?
Not the fins, steelers, chiefs or browns?
Its not as easy as you think with guaranteed contracts.
Though the Browns did so knowingly.
I get it. Its gross, but what you suggest isn’t reality.
Bills, sure we could talk about a greater issue within the NFL, but in this instance I chose to focus on the team mentioned in the article only.
Reality is that the Bills cut a kid who was falsely accused of a crime and stuck by a grown man who was accused of a crime. The team’s actions are not consistent at all with recent actions taken for similar issues.
Rules for some, not for all, depends on contract size. The Bills seem to be comfortable swallowing their morals in this case because the money due would be much larger than a kid who was drafted to be a punter.
That is embarrassing, and telling.
It is what it is. We don’t have to like it.
You understand there are different burdens of proof. Between criminal court and a union job.
If you ran a franchise the way you suggest, you would be quickly fired.
For example : If you were to cut Von last yeae, you would need to have either cut other players to andorb the hit, or do massive restructuring. It would wreck you. Are you gonna build a team of boy scout only players? You can try – but you still will get surprised. Then what? Your intention s?
Im not supporting the system, don’t get me twisted. But cutting a player with high contract guarantees is not the way to keep your GM job.
Goodell for some reason chose to wait a full year to suspend – and that isn’t right either.
Id certainly welcome the union negotiating release of contract if these players are convicted, but its never gonna happen.
I think you’re spinning this a little further than it needs to go. I simply highlighted an inconsistency within the Bills organization.
The fact you mentioned it is what it is and we don’t have to like it speaks to the issue that this is indeed a problem that needs to be resolved.
I am not here to question anyone’s guilt, or case. I am just here to point out hypocritical activity. If no one speaks about it, it becomes accepted behavior.
The NFLPA is the worst union in sports. You’re right, there is no way they’d make it easier for a team to cut a player without pay regardless of circumstance. The union can’t even figure out how to get guaranteed contracts for the players. I wouldn’t trust them to put their own pants on let alone solving a more complex issue like this.
Oh, you would have had more respect for Buffalo if they didn’t act on Araiza?
You want to paint a picture of the Bills as being this awful franchise without morals, but you don’t want to look at the system that they operate in.
Fact: Araiza was a late round punter in a rookie contract. Its easier distance themselves from that as opposed to a player with guarantees.
Some claim they knew about these accusations during the draft process – without being a homer and thinking objectively as I can – if they did, do we believe that they drafted Araiza thinking it wouldn’t come out?
I think its more likely they didn’t dig deep enough on him – cause he is a kicker/punter.
He ended up being not guilty, but you seem to indicate that you want a moral high ground for not sticking with him,I guess?
I think the opposite is true, when they can act, they did. Not sure hanging onto him makes your point.
The issue is inconsistency. Rush to judgement on Araiza, wait and see on Miller. The real test will be the next time this happens for the Bills to see if they continue the wait and see on the next guy who has issues. If they wait and see, then maybe that’s the model they are going to adopt and maintain.
I don’t see that being the case and believe they will continue to take it case by case and be influenced by the fans/league/money over principles.
Once again – your argument makes no sense and you seem to be ignoring so much. ( probably intentionally)
Name a team that would act differently? What about the other teams I listed? Why single out the Bills? You just don’t like them? Talk about inconsistency!!!
Why do you ignore my constant contract points?
I guess you are free to believe whatever you want. Dont let facts color your opinion!
Just for Ss and Gs:
Scenario: Macbeth is the GM of the 23 Buffalo Bills after the Von allegation came out.
What does he do?
Cut Von out of principle?
YES!
Great move. I am sure the owner and fans will support you when you eat 40+ million in cap space immediately. Its year 2 of a 6 year deal, but principle is what matters here.
I mean, never mind how you explain this to the other 2-3 players that are potentially cut. (Listen guys do not want to cut you, but I have principles)
What about the team members that remain? Do they feel they have a chance to win after that?
You can also further mortgage your future as a GM by restructuring more contracts.
I am sure you will have a long career as a GM, and will definitely get another chance to build a winning team after you are fired due to your principle.
How about not cutting Von?
Well, than you get someone on a message board telling you what a trash franchise you are. (Ignoring every other franchise operating exactly the same)
*still not sure how your principle applies to moving on from a punter, but I guess you have your reasons. I mean, sorry – the inconsistency!
My friend you’re missing the point entirely. I can’t be any more help in getting you there either.
You’re clouded by your teams involvement and I get that, good luck.
Help me understand what Im missing?
Cause it feels more like your argument sucks and you know it.
At which point do you believe the Bills learned Araiza was not guilty?
When they drafted him, or when they cut him, or after they cut him?
Ill wait for you to think about how you want to spin this.
Macbeth, your hypothetical next occurrence wouldn’t really prove anything, as we already know the decision as to what to do with the playerr will be most impacted by the his contract and cap guarantees, not his behavior. Simple fact of the matter is they had an easy out with Ariaza, and are handcuffed to Miller. For all you know, they wanted to snapjerk cut Miller just as quickly. They simply couldn’t eat the dead money doing so would hit them with. There’s an opportunity to get out of Miller’s deal this offseason, I suspect that has long been the plan.
At the end of the day, football is a business and it’s entertainment. It’s not a moral compass nor is it a football teams job to do right by society. The Bills primary objective is to make money. Their secondary objective is to win games. Looking moral, ethical and upstanding takes a back seat to both of those objectives, as it does for every team, as it should.
You don’t like Von Miller? Don’t go to Bills games. If the stadium is ever empty, the Pegulas will take the action your looking for.
Innocent until proven guilty? Araiza wasn’t even there when the allegations occurred. Isn’t he suing her and her lawyer for defamation? Buffalo shouldn’t have cut him.
In regards to Von, waiting until either a prosecutor or the league acted seems prudent. The league has acted. He doesn’t get paid while suspended, right? I would wait until the suspension is over, then cut him.
So much for his GM career!
Roger Goodell – Judge and Jury but is he consistent with who and when he rules?
Miller has been implicated in a number of incidents over the years, but skates every time due to a lack of evidence that would hold up in court.