When the Bills signed Von Miller to a six-year, $120 million deal in 2022, the three-time first-team All-Pro was an outstanding defender with game-winning skills. In his 10 previous seasons with the Broncos and Rams, Miller had recorded 115.5 sacks and just won his second Super Bowl ring after being traded to Los Angeles midseason in 2021. General manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott certainly hoped he would help Buffalo succeed as a defensive closer.
Miller initially played that role exceptionally well, collecting eight sacks in his first nine games with the Bills – but then he suffered a knee injury in Week 12 that ruined the rest of his season. When he returned to play in 2023, he was nothing like he used to be: According to Pro Football Focus, he tallied five tackles, zero sacks and 17 pressures in 14 games (including playoffs).
After that disappointing year, Miller took a pay cut that made him more like a part-time playmaker on the perimeter. Perhaps the cut sparked a reawakening of his competitive spirit – in fact, he said this summer that he would “go back to playing my style of football. Start talking shit, making sacks, dancing and making plays for my teammates.” So far this season, Miller has made his prediction come true. The 35-year-old has been outstanding in two games, recording two sacks on nine total pressures, and has reemerged as the Bills’ designated closer.
