The Buffalo Bills are counting on a Von Miller bounce back.
One of only two defensive ends currently under contract for next season, the 34-year-old Miller's availability and potential productivity carry great importance for the cap-strapped Bills.
"We're hoping that he'll look more like he did the first [year] when we got him. He had 8.0 sacks in, whatever, nine or 10 games," said Bills' general manager Brandon Beane while speaking at the NFL Combine.
The Bills signed Miller in 2022, looking for a difference-maker to enhance a Super Bowl ready roster. The accomplished edge rusher recorded 8.0 sacks and two pass deflections while making 11 starts prior to suffering a season-ending ACL tear on Thanksgiving Day against the Detroit Lions.
Miller returned to game action in Week 5 this past season, but noticeably struggled to make an impact during his limited reps. He did not register a sack in 14 appearances, including a pair of playoff games.
"I've spoken to Von after the season, since it ended. I would say Von the last few weeks, we sat him down the one game, I would say that Miami, Pittsburgh, KC, you saw the flashes of it," said Beane. "I think now it's just more of it and getting him in a rhythm. It's that fine balance of like a shooter, how many shots does he need to get going? Von's a rusher, he's a shooter from there. So, what does he need to get his lather, but understanding at his age, you don't want him playing 40, 45 snaps either."
Miller, who will turn 35 on March 26, has logged 123.5 sacks since being drafted by the Denver Broncos at No. 2 overall in 2011. The Super Bowl 50 MVP ran into some legal trouble at home in Texas during the Bills' bye week this past November, eventually turning himself in to local authorities on a warrant. Miller has denied any wrongdoing, claiming all allegations stemming from a reported domestic disturbance are false.
"We're pretty confident in what we know hence we didn't any kind of drastic moves at the time," said Beane providing an update on the ongoing situation. "We know what we know and unless we're presented with something different ... we don't see anything that would alter Von being back. We expect it to go away."
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