Von Miller

Bills Notes: Miller, DC Replacement, RB Addition

March 18th, 2023 at 10:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Von Miller has five years remaining on the deal he signed last offseason to join the Bills. That means the 33-year-old’s playing days should continue for at least the short-term future, but he already has a plan for his next career after he hangs up his cleats.

In an interview with 9News’ Mike Klis, Miller said he intends to pursue a career as a general manager once his playing career ends. He spent time at the Combine speaking with executives around the league to gain advice on how to one day begin the process of transitioning to the front office.

“It’s what I want to do,” the future Hall of Famer said. “I don’t have any experience. I know what a great football team looks like. I know what a winning football team looks like. A great staff, great equipment guys, great athletic trainers. I know what that looks like, I know what it takes to build those teams but that’s it.”

Miller noted that the success John Elway had both as a player and GM with the Broncos served as inspiration for his desire to work in a front office. He added that he has no intention of coaching once his playing days are over, so his success in finding a role in management will be something to watch down the road.

Here are some other notes out of Orchard Park:

The decision by Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier to step away for the 2023 season leaves the team with a notable vacancy on their staff. As expected, an external hire will not be coming, though. GM Brandon Beane confirmed that filling the DC spot will be handled internally, and that head coach Sean McDermott will “head” the process of determining who calls plays for the unit next season (Twitter links via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg). McDermott serving as de-facto DC would come as no surprise given his background on that side of the ball, but the Bills have other candidates for a short-term promotion, including highly-regarded defensive backs coach John Butler.
The Bills added to their running backs room at the draft last offseason by selecting James Cook in the second round. They made another move at the trade deadline by acquiring Nyheim Hines, but Bean indicated (via Jon Scott of Spectrum News, on Twitter) that the team will be in the market for another back this year. Specifically, a power back to compliment the relatively undersized Cooks and Hines is what the team is targeting. Devin Singletary is one of several free agents still available at the position, and a departure would not come as a surprise. Especially is Singletary signs elsewhere, RB will be a position of interest for the Bills in the near future.

Restructure Details: Cousins, Bills, Cowboys, Saints, Warner, Jets, Texans

March 15th, 2023 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Facing a Kirk Cousins cap crunch last year, the Vikings worked out a third contract with their starting quarterback. They did not take that path this year. Minnesota instead agreed to a restructure, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The reworking frees up $16MM in cap space for the Vikings, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweets. The Vikes look to have tacked on two more void years to Cousins’ deal. While the void years — for cap-reducing purposes — run through 2027, Cousins’ contract expires after the 2023 season. No extension is imminent.

The 34-year-old passer has enjoyed leverage throughout his Vikings relationship — via his free agency in 2018, ahead of his 2020 contract year on that fully guaranteed deal, and in 2022 as his second Vikes pact was set to produce a historic cap hit — but Minnesota’s new regime may now be looking toward moving on after the season. This will be a situation to monitor moving forward; Cousins has not played in a contract year since his 2017 Washington finale.

Here is the latest on teams’ restructures:

The Bills moved close to the 2023 league year in a cap hole, but they restructured the deals of their two highest-profile players to create considerable space. Buffalo reworked Josh Allen and Von Miller‘s contracts to create approximately $32MM in space, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. The Bills have moved their way up past $8MM in cap room.
Per usual, the Saints have been hard at work on restructures. They adjusted the deals of Cameron Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore to create cap space, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Katherine Terrell (all Twitter links). The Jordan move created more than $10MM in cap space for New Orleans, which was back to being north of $20MM over the cap following its Derek Carr signing. As the league year begins, New Orleans made it under the cap by just more than $300K.
In addition to restructuring Tyron Smith‘s deal to ensure the All-Decade tackle plays a 13th season with the team, the Cowboys adjusted the contracts of DeMarcus Lawrence and Michael Gallup, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (Twitter links). Between them, the Lawrence and Gallup restructures freed up around $16MM for Dallas, which had already created more than $30MM in space by redoing Dak Prescott and Zack Martin‘s deals last week.
The 49ers restructured Fred Warner‘s extension, according to Yates (on Twitter). The move created nearly $9MM in cap space for San Francisco, which gave Javon Hargrave a four-year, $84MM deal to start the legal tampering period. A void year now exists in Warner’s contract, which runs through 2026 (with the void year coming in 2027). Warner’s cap number drops to $9MM but spikes past $24MM in 2024, which will probably prompt more maneuvering from the 49ers. They currently hold just more than $12MM in cap space.
Circling back to the Vikings, Jordan Hicks agreed to a restructure that will keep him in Minnesota this season, Insidethebirds.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. Hicks signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Vikings last year.
Amid their Aaron Rodgers pursuit, the Jets created $4.8MM in cap space by restructuring John Franklin-Myers‘ contract, Yates tweets. Two void years are attached to the defensive lineman’s pact, which runs through 2025.
Texans safety Eric Murray agreed to a restructured deal as well, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Attached to a two-year, $10MM deal he signed in 2022, Murray remains on a Texans team that has seen its roster become crowded at safety. The team has added Jimmie Ward and re-signed M.J. Stewart this week. Murray played 17 games for the Texans last season but did not start any. This sounds like a pay-cut agreement, with Wilson adding Murray can make up to $4MM this season.

Rams Receiving Calls On Jalen Ramsey, Eyeing Edge Rushers

March 2nd, 2023 at 10:03am CST by Sam Robinson

The centerpiece of their secondary since sending the Jaguars two first-round picks ahead of the 2019 trade deadline, Jalen Ramsey now looks unlikely to return to the Rams.

A trade is expected, and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes the Rams have already received calls from multiple teams on the high-profile chip (subscription required). Moving Ramsey stands to both replenish the Rams’ draft capital — an oft-discarded war chest during Sean McVay‘s tenure — and invite serious questions about the team’s coverage capabilities next season.

As far as what Ramsey could bring back, NBC Sports’ Peter King mentions a low-end first-round pick — from a team like the Chiefs, Bills or Cowboys — or a package fronted by a second-rounder could be available. By Rams standards, their 2023 draft arsenal does not look too bad. They hold a second-round choice and 10 picks overall. Though, only three of those will arrive before the fifth round.

The Rams may want more than just one first-round pick, with Rodrigue adding it will probably take a 2023 first-rounder or future first and at least one other pick. Although Los Angeles has made it known Ramsey is available, this price would count on a bidding war taking shape. A January report indicated the Rams were unlikely to fetch a first-rounder for Ramsey, but this seems to the be goal.

Pro Football Focus has rated Ramsey, who will play his age-29 season in 2023, as a top-20 cornerback in each of his three full seasons with the Rams. His three first-team All-Pro nods (2017, 2020, 2021) are tied for sixth among corners in NFL history. No active corner matches that feat, putting Ramsey squarely on the Hall of Fame radar. It would cost the Rams $19.6MM to trade Ramsey before June 1, and a team that acquired him would be taking on a $17MM base salary this year. Ramsey’s $20MM-per-year deal runs through 2025, though Rodrigue adds the Rams would likely rework the eighth-year veteran’s deal. That would help facilitate a move and increase the attainable compensation.

This would deplete a Rams team that cut future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner. Both David Long and Troy Hill are free agents at corner. The team also has its edge rusher situation to clean up this offseason. The Rams offered their two-first-rounder platter to the Panthers for Brian Burns, though the picks being in 2024 and ’25 affected Carolina’s decision to pass, and pursued Bradley Chubb last year. This all came about after Von Miller spurned the team for the Bills, who offered guarantees into Year 3 — which the Rams and Cowboys did not.

While some in the front office did not want to re-sign Miller, per Rodrigue, who notes age- and injury-related concerns were behind these skeptics’ hesitancy on this front. Still, the Rams had made an aggressive push. Their subsequent Allen Robinson investment — enabled by the funds free from Miller’s Buffalo choice — tanked. Leonard Floyd‘s $16MM-AAV deal remains on the Rams’ books, but the Rams missed Miller in 2022. Floyd registered a team-high nine sacks; no other Rams outside linebacker notched more than one. As such, Rodrigue adds the team will pursue edges in free agency, via trade and through the draft.

The team has Aaron Donald signed for two more seasons. Capitalizing on what remains of the all-time great’s prime would be prudent. Then again, the Rams have exhausted resources attempting to do this — and largely succeeding — throughout the McVay-Les Snead partnership. It will be interesting to see the team attempt to go the other way, via trading Ramsey for draft capital and importing vital cost-controlled talent onto the roster.

Bills Notes: Miller, Edmunds, Poyer, Saffold

January 28th, 2023 at 12:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Von Miller‘s first season in Buffalo ended on Thanksgiving when he suffered a torn ACL. Unsurprisingly, Bills general manager Brandon Beane indicated that the veteran linebacker isn’t a lock to be ready for the 2023 season opener. Beane told reporters that it’s too early to know if Miller will be available for the entirety of the 2023 season, but the GM did express optimism that Miller should play a “good portion” of the year (per ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg on Twitter).

When Miller first suffered the injury on Thanksgiving day, he was expected to miss only a handful of games. However, exploratory surgery revealed that the linebacker had in fact suffered a torn ACL. The injury didn’t only prematurely end his 2022 season, but it also put the start of his 2023 campaign in doubt. Miller previously missed the entire 2020 season while recovering from a dislocated peroneal tendon.

After inking a six-year, $120MM deal with the Bills last offseason, Miller proceeded to start all 11 of his games for Buffalo. Following two-straight seasons of single-digit sack totals, Miller was well on his way to get back to that double-digit mark in 2022. He ultimately finished the season with eight sacks and 12 QB hits.

More notes out of Buffalo…

Speaking of injuries, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips revealed that he was playing through a torn rotator cuff that will ultimately require offseason surgery (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia on Twitter). The impending free agent is confident that he’ll be good to go for training camp. Meanwhile, quarterback Josh Allen is hoping he won’t have to go under the knife for his ailing elbow. The QB told reporters that he’s hoping to just rehab his elbow throughout the offseason (per Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News on Twitter).
Last offseaosn, the Bills made one of the biggest splashes when they inked Miller to that aforementioned contract. This time around, the Bills aren’t expecting as many fireworks. Beane told reporters that he’s not anticipating a major move at any point this offseason. “We’re going to have to work to get under the cap,” Beane admitted (via Getzenberg on Twitter). With more than $240MM on the books, the Bills are projected to be over the cap heading into the offseason.
One major move the Bills will have to consider is a new contract for linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Beane acknowledged that the franchise tag could be in play for the impending free agent, but the GM also noted that the tag value may be prohibitive thanks to the inclusion of edge rushers (via Skurski on Twitter). Beane also said the team would happily welcome back impending free agent safety Jordan Poyer, although the GM cautioned that they’ll need clarity on the cap before proceeding. A two-time Pro Bowler, Edmunds continued producing in 2022, finishing with his fifth-straight 100+ tackle season. Poyer, meanwhile, completed his sixth season in Buffalo with 63 tackles and four interceptions, resulting in a Pro Bowl nod.
Guard Rodger Saffold told reporters that he intends to play in 2023 and hopes to re-sign with the Bills, according to Buscaglia on Twitter. The 34-year-old indicated that he’s not looking to break the bank with his next contract and simply wants to be paid a fair amount for his age and ability. The offensive lineman also acknowledged that he’s willing to do what he can to stick in Buffalo. Saffold started all 16 of his games during his first season with the Bills.

Bills’ Von Miller Undergoes Surgery, To Miss Rest Of Season

December 7th, 2022 at 10:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Bills had hoped Von Miller would be back this season, the veteran pass rusher did end up undergoing surgery. The exploratory procedure will knock him out for the rest of the season, Sean McDermott said Wednesday.

While Miller was not believed to have torn his ACL, this procedure ended up addressing that ligament. The operation revealed Miller’s ACL was torn, the team announced, and it has now been repaired. This procedure was not intended to repair Miller’s ACL, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Instead, it was aimed at repositioning Miller’s lateral meniscus. After previous tests did not reveal a tear, the surgery ended up doing so. Miller would have been able to return this season if only the meniscus was repaired, Rapoport tweets.

Carted off during the Bills’ Thanksgiving Day game, the future Hall of Fame edge rusher had hoped to return after missing just one contest. Then, the Bills placed him on IR. This steadily worsening timetable will now leave the Bills without their top pass rusher as they attempt another Super Bowl push. The Chiefs’ loss to the Bengals opens the door for the Bills (9-3) to win out and claim the AFC’s top seed. Their hired gun was to be a big part of their championship push; the team will now have to get by with its young edge defenders carrying the load.

Wounding the Bills’ defense, this injury deals a blow to this era’s best edge rusher. Miller’s age-33 season wraps with his second ACL tear. He suffered the first such injury — in the same knee — back in December 2013. That season resulted in the Peyton Manning-led Broncos advancing to Super Bowl XLVIII without him, but Denver’s injury-plagued defense could not hold up in that game. Miller rebounded to play the lead role in the Broncos winning Super Bowl 50 two years later, but he has now suffered severe leg injuries in two of the past three years. A late-summer ankle injury wiped out Miller’s 2020 campaign.

The 2020 injury did not end up stopping Miller from playing a major role in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI-winning effort, which catapulted Miller into free agency. The Bills won the sweepstakes with a six-year, $120MM deal that featured guarantees into Year 3. Miller cited that guarantee structure as the reason he chose the Bills over the Rams. That and the chance to be the rare player to win a Super Bowl with three different teams. Miller stands to be back for Buffalo’s Super Bowl push next season, but he will now have to battle back from another major injury — and do so in his mid-30s.

Miller still leads the Bills with eight sacks, but two of the Bills’ recent highly drafted D-ends — Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa — have shown improvement. Rousseau, a 2021 first-rounder, has registered five sacks; Epenesa, a 2020 second-round choice, has tallied 4.5. Those are each career-high totals. Though, Miller being removed from the equation will make the younger edge rushers’ work more difficult. The team also has former second-round pick Boogie Basham and reacquired veteran Shaq Lawson in the fold. The Bills are already playing without safety Micah Hyde, who was lost to a season-ending injury in September.

Bills Place Von Miller On IR

December 1st, 2022 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Von Miller‘s hopes at returning from his meniscus injury in Week 14 faded quickly. The Bills placed the veteran pass rusher on IR on Thursday, shutting him down for at least four games.

The earliest Miller can now return is Week 17. Given Buffalo’s investment in the future Hall of Famer, it is unsurprising the team would operate cautiously here. While this will hurt the Bills’ pass-rushing capabilities over the next few weeks, it stands to give Miller more rehab time.

“We’ve been assessing Von this week and seeing how he is, and we don’t want to rush him back,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said. “This gives us a chance to go ahead and count tonight’s game and three more on injured reserve. And hopefully we can get him back for the stretch run.”

Miller did not tear his ACL but acknowledged he will likely need surgery. The initial Bills plan was to wait for swelling to subside over the next seven to 10 days before making a determination, but they are acting early. By placing Miller on IR ahead of their game against the Patriots tonight, Miller will only need to miss three more. It is perhaps a bit surprising the Bills are factoring roster math into an equation involving a player of Miller’s stature, but Thursday’s call also points to the organization not wanting to risk a setback by the 12th-year edge defender attempting to come back too fast.

It is believed Miller will be fine with using a knee brace upon return. He donned a brace during points of his Broncos stay, which included an ACL tear. Miller bounced back quickly from that December 2013 malady, re-establishing himself as a Pro Bowl rusher — being invited to the next six — and a player who would go on to become the first defender in NFL history to sign two $100MM-plus contracts. Miller, 33, is currently tied to a six-year, $120MM pact — one that includes guarantees into 2024.

The Bills will be without Miller for some rather key games. In addition to this Pats matchup, Miller will miss games against the Jets and Dolphins. The Bills, who also play the Bears during this span, close their regular season with Bengals and Patriots meetings. While Buffalo is ticketed to have Greg Rousseau back in Week 13 after a November absence, the team is 0-2 in the AFC East. How the Bills fare in their three Miller-less division tilts will likely determine if they will need their home blues in the AFC playoffs. At 8-3, the Bills are in decent shape to make the playoffs for a fourth straight season. But even that is not a lock. The Patriots and Chargers both loom at 6-5; a Pats win tonight would provide quite a boost.

Despite their brigade of defensive injuries, the Bills are in fine shape in terms of injury activations. The team has seven of its eight allotted injury moves remaining. One will be saved for Miller, barring a decision for a season-ending surgery. Miller indicated that was unlikely to happen, but it is not a lock the Bills have their top pass rusher back this season. Miller already amassed eight sacks this season, at only a 61% snap snare, so losing him would be a blow for the contending team’s Super Bowl hopes. This will certainly be a situation to monitor this month.

Von Miller Aiming To Return In Week 14

November 29th, 2022 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

This week’s VonCast episode brought an update on its host’s status after a Thanksgiving knee injury. Von Miller informed listeners he is hoping for a return by Week 14 against the Jets.

While Miller acknowledged he did not receive the best of news and indicated he sustained lateral meniscus damage, he confirmed the previously reported plan of letting the swelling subside and making a decision after that. Miller will miss this week’s Bills-Patriots matchup but said he will try to play in Buffalo’s ensuing game.

“I do feel like I can play through that,” Miller said, via the Buffalo News’ Katherine Fitzgerald (Twitter links). “So, I’m just gonna wait a little bit, wait a little bit, let the swelling go down for about seven to 10 days. And hopefully, right before the Jets game, I will be back. I think every other week after this, I should be able to give it a shot.”

Previous reports did not guarantee Miller would be back this season, indicating the impending surgery’s timetable will determine the future Hall of Fame pass rusher’s status. Miller said the meniscus damage is “going to have to be addressed” (video link), but it does not sound like he is considering a surgery that will knock him out for the rest of this season.

That could potentially change, as ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds (via Twitter) no firm decision has been made. But Miller played with a knee brace earlier in his career and is believed to be comfortable doing so again, per Fowler. For now, the big-ticket Bills free agent signing is planning to be part of the team’s stretch run.

Miller returning barely two weeks after this injury might be on the optimistic side, but the Bills having their ace pass rusher back at any point in the regular season can be considered good news after his injury at Ford Field. The eight-time Pro Bowler missed all of the 2020 season with an ankle injury, and his December 2013 ACL tear occurred in the same knee he damaged last week.

The Bills have also been without 2021 first-round pick Greg Rousseau for the past three games because of an ankle injury. Miller’s top sidekick, however, has logged two full practices this week and is on track to return against the Patriots. Ditto Tremaine Edmunds, who practiced fully twice already this week. The fifth-year linebacker has missed the past two Bills games. With five sacks in eight games, Rousseau has already topped his rookie-year total. Despite being used on a career-low 61% of his team’s defensive snaps, Miller has eight sacks this season. Sitting on 123.5 career sacks, the 12th-year edge defender is on track for his first double-digit sack season since 2018.

Latest On Von Miller

November 27th, 2022 at 1:58pm CST by Ely Allen

A Thanksgiving Day injury for star pass rusher Von Miller initially had some Bills fans hitting the panic button, but as updates continue to pour in, we are getting a clearer picture of the situation. The most recent update tells us that Miller will take seven to 10 days to allow the swelling to go down in his knee, allowing for a better evaluation, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.

As unfortunate as it is to likely lose Miller for a game or two, the news has been increasingly optimistic in Buffalo. Initial fears of an ACL tear were downgraded to a knee sprain. Even now, Miller is reportedly remaining optimistic about the eventual reevaluation, boosted by the assurance that he’s been in this situation before, when an ankle injury sidelined him for the entire 2020 season.

The Bills’ tremendous pass-rushing group has been hampered lately with injuries. Last year’s first-round pick out of Miami, Gregory Rousseau, has missed the team’s last three games and A.J. Epenesa was out for the Turkey Day matchup with the Lions. Buffalo still has two extremely capable edge pass rushers in Boogie Basham and Shaq Lawson but losing the team’s top three sack-leaders is never going to be an ideal scenario.

Buffalo is staying calm and remaining optimistic. They’ll have a second straight Thursday game this week in New England and will have a 10-day rest period before hosting two straight home games. Knowing that Miller won’t travel for the next three weeks is ideal. They’ll gauge the damage again after their road trip to the Patriots and have a full week to determine next steps.

Bills’ Von Miller Avoids ACL Tear; Return Timetable Uncertain

November 25th, 2022 at 11:05am CST by Sam Robinson

Some good news emerged on the Von Miller front Friday morning, though this situation remains murky. The standout Bills pass rusher avoided an ACL tear, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) and has a chance to return this season.

However, more tests are coming to determine how much time he will miss. Concern remains regarding the meniscus in Miller’s injured knee, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. At some point, a surgery will take place, Rapoport adds. But it is uncertain if Miller will go under the knife soon or in the offseason. The timetable here will obviously have a major impact on Buffalo’s pass rush the rest of the way.

Miller is not expected to make any decisions for a week or two, per Schefter, who adds he is not a lock to return this season (Twitter link). This December decision — have surgery or keep going, likely with a brace — promises to be a seminal moment for the Bills, who have run into a spate of injuries in recent weeks.

Thursday’s injury led to the future Hall of Famer being transported off the Ford Field turf via cart, though Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 notes Miller did not exit the locker room needing crutches or any assistance (Twitter link). Initially, a knee sprain surfaced as a rumored diagnosis. Miller, 33, is expected to miss time. Sean McDermott said Friday that Miller will miss the Bills’ Week 13 game against the Patriots.

This could be a brutal blow for Buffalo, but Miller dodging an ACL tear — an injury that would have shut him down until at least training camp — represents good news for the Super Bowl-contending team.

Miller has a history of major knee trouble, but that came nine years ago. In December 2013, Miller suffered a torn ACL. This injury is to the same knee. That capped a turbulent year for the then-Broncos pass rusher, who began the season serving a six-game substance-abuse ban. Miller, however, returned to top form quickly and put himself on track for Canton beginning in 2014. The former No. 2 overall pick made the Pro Bowl in 2014 — a 14-sack season — and was invited to five more Pro Bowls from 2015-19. While a severe ankle injury prevented Miller from playing in 2020, he returned to form again after a midseason trade to the Rams last year.

Following Miller’s boost to the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI cause, the Bills convinced him to make the rare (for high-profile free agents) trek to western New York in March. Buffalo’s Super Bowl quest played into the eight-time Pro Bowler’s decision. Despite a reduced workload (61% defensive snap rate) compared to the full-time roles he played in Denver and Los Angeles, Miller has already racked up eight sacks and made an impact on the Bills’ younger pass rushers. The Bills being without this era’s best edge rusher the rest of the way would certainly will impact their Super Bowl aspirations. If Miller does return, gauging his post-injury form will be important.

Buffalo has played without second-year edge Greg Rousseau recently, though the 2021 first-round pick is not on IR. The team was also without Tremaine Edmunds and Jordan Poyer against Detroit. The team did get top cornerback Tre’Davious White back in Week 12 and saw Kaiir Elam return after missing two games. Micah Hyde is on IR with a neck injury and is not expected to return this season.

Bills Fear Knee Sprain For Von Miller

November 24th, 2022 at 1:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

On a day when the Bills welcomed back one of their top defensive players, another exited the contest early. Von Miller was carted off the field late in the second quarter, leaving Buffalo without their top pass rusher.

The Bills immediately ruled Miller out for the remainder of their Thanksgiving tilt against the Lions, leading to widespread speculation that a major injury had occurred. The initial diagnosis appears to be more positive, however. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the team believes Miller suffered a knee sprain, with more tests to come tomorrow (Twitter link).

While that news is relatively positive, Rapoport adds that a far more serious diagnosis could be coming in the near future. In a follow-up, he notes that Miller will miss some time in 2022; the important matter will now become how much. A torn ACL or similar ailment would end his season, and put a significant dent in Buffalo’s Super Bowl aspirations given his effectiveness during his debut season as a Bill.

Miller entered today’s game in a tie for 10th in the league in sacks this season (8.0). That has represented a good return on investment for Buffalo, who inked the future Hall of Famer to a six-year, $120MM deal in free agency. He has led a Bills pass rush group which ranks mid-pack in sacks, but has helped the team’s defense allow the fifth-fewest points per game (17.4) in 2022.

Buffalo’s front seven was already without Gregory Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa for today’s game, so their edge rush will be particularly shorthanded for the remainder of the contest. Concern will linger well beyond the immediate future in Miller’s case, though, at least until more is know about the extent of his injury.

On a more positive note, the preseason Super Bowl favorites saw No. 1 corner Tre’Davious White make his return this afternoon. The two-time Pro Bowler had been sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL; while his snap count against Detroit will likely be limited, he will provide a significant boost to Buffalo’s secondary when he resumes a full-time starting role. A return to his top form could be especially needed if Miller misses extended time.

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