Bills add Von Miller to NFL's Top-Ranked Defense
Von Miller is bringing his 115.5 career sacks, 233 quarterback hits, 27 forced fumbles and two Super Bowl rings to Buffalo, the Bills announced Wednesday night.
The veteran pass rusher, who will turn 33 this month, signed a six-year deal that neither side is likely to fulfill. All that matters, though, is the 2022 season and the splash free-agent move the Bills and general manager Brandon Beane were able to make despite starting last week more than $6 million over the salary cap.
Miller is far from the only addition Beane has made. The team also announced agreements with tight end O.J. Howard and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones on Wednesday, two days after signing free-agent guard Rodger Saffold and getting contract extensions done with wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie and center Mitch Morse.
The Bills have been more aggressive trying to upgrade their perimeter pass rush than any other position over the last two years.
In 2020, they drafted A.J. Epenesa in the second round. Last year, they drafted Greg Rousseau in the first round and Carlos "Boogie" Basham in the second after losing out to the Arizona Cardinals in the J.J. Watt sweepstakes.
Miller represents the coup de grace. He was midway through his 11th year with the Denver Broncos when he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams last November to finish off a bounceback season after sitting out all of 2020 with a torn ankle tendon. He finished with 9.5 sacks in the regular season and 4.0 more in the playoffs to earn his second championship ring. His first had come in the 2015 season.
The Broncos were not believed to be players for Miller. But somehow Beane cleared the space to guarantee him $45 million on a contract that will average $17.5 million over the first three years, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
Miller has been a first-team All-Pro three times and a Pro Bowl qualifer eight times. The only season among his first eight in which he failed to produce double-digit sacks came in 2013, when an injury limited him to nine games.
In Buffalo, he not only will be responsible for getting the quarterback down but nurturing the youngsters around him following the departure of veterans Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison and Efe Obada to free agency.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
