Von Miller Ready for any Role on Buffalo Bills' Defense
Exactly how the Buffalo Bills plan to fit Von Miller into their defense hasn't been addressed publicly by coach Sean McDermott or defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.
But it was by Miller on Wednesday during a lively press conference that lasted nearly a half hour.
Miller throughout his career has played mostly in 3-4 fronts as an outside linebacker who rushes the passer. The Bills run a base 4-2 with an extra defensive back, usually Taron Johnson, on the field, and linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano playing every snap.
This probably means Miller plays with his hand on the ground as a defensive end, unless the Bills adjust their defense. We've received no clues yet how it's going to work.
Miller offered none on Wednesday, either. Nor did he care.
"Whatever they want me to do, I'll be able to get it done," he said. "I'm a team guy on top of that. I get along with my teammates, I know how to work with my teammates, know how to work with all different types of personalities, age groups. ... I know how to relate to all these guys, coaches, everybody. And whatever is asked of me, you know I'll be able to get it done.
"If they say get to the quarterback from a 6-Technique or off the ball or playing middle linebacker, you know, I'd do it. They asked me yesterday to introduce myself and I stood up, I told them `I'm Von Miller from Texas A&M, and I play defense. I play defense. Whatever you guys need me to do, I'll be able to get it done.' The main goal here is to win a Super Bowl and bring it here to Buffalo, and whatever my role is, whatever they ask me to do, I'm going to do it 100% to get that done."
The only thing anyone knows about Miller's role at this point is that he's going to try to convince his coaches to keep him on the field for as many snaps as he can play without collapsing.
Whether he rushes the quarterback from a two- or three-point stance or where he lines up has not been revealed and probably not even been determined.
That he's listed on their roster as a linebacker doesn't necessarily mean anything other than they want no complications in allowing him to keep his jersey No. 40, which he wore with the Los Angeles Rams last year. Defensive linemen in the NFL must wear numbers between 50 and 79 and 90-99.
If this were the old XFL and players were allowed to pick the nicknames on the back of their jerseys, Miller's probably would be: "He Love Me."
"I've always thought that I'm a coach's dream," Miller said. "I'm a coach's dream no matter if we play in a 4-3, 3-4. No matter what, I know football, I know defenses, I'm a coach's dream."
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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.
