Von Gone? Sean McDermott refers to Bills' high-priced DE in past tense

The Buffalo Bills have a decision to make on Von Miller and the head coach may have tipped his hand.

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller (40) rushes towards Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and misses tackling him during the second half of the Buffalo Bills wild card game / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills took a big swing by signing future Hall-of-Fame edge rusher Von Miller in 2022, but an ACL tear midway through his first season threw a wrench into the team's plans.

Set to turn 36 years old in March, Miller has publicly expressed his desire to play his 15th NFL season with the Bills. The problem is Buffalo simply can't afford Miller at his current rate. Whether the Bills renegotiate his contract or release him with a post-June 1 designation is currently the great debate in offseason circles.

While addressing reporters at the NFL Combine, Bills' head coach Sean McDermott spoke complimentary about Miller but repeatedly referred to the former Super Bowl MVP in the past tense.

“I love Von. Von, I think people sometimes forget, came in and had success early, and then he went through the knee situation. The thing I love about Von is he very rarely, if ever, used kind of the victim role approach," said McDermott.

The head coach recognized Miller's elite traits, but didn't necessarily hint there's a place for him moving forward.

Bills Von Miller and Greg Rousseau sack Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes during first half action against the Kansas City Chiefs in Orchard Park, Nov.17, 2024. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Mentally, he's just so elite with his mental. To come off of a knee injury, in particular, when you're 30-plus is a challenge. I thought this year was a lot better than the year before, and that's really what you want to see," said McDermott.

With Miller set to occupy $15.4 million in dead cap space if released, the most team-friendly route is to see if he'll take a substantial pay cut.

RELATED: After extending Khalil Shakir, who will Bills target next on contract front?

Speaking one day after McDermott, general manager Brandon Beane suggested that no decision on the player's future has been made.

"[Last year] he took a pay cut below his actual guarantee. And you're talking about a first-ballot Hall of Famer that did that, so a lot of respect for what he did to come back and try and help us chase this trophy. I thought, as the year went on, he continued to show that he could still play. As far as any decisions, we're still working through all that," said Beane.

Buffalo Bills Von Miller picks up a fumble and runs towards the end zone during first half action at the Buffalo Bills divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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