The Denver Broncos benched Russell Wilson last week and while the team has been adamant that it was a football decision, the quarterback’s contract likely played a role in the decision. It might not have been the only factor considered, but it had to be one of the factors considered.
Von Miller might be facing a similar situation with the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo has benched Miller, making him a healthy scratch for their game against the New England Patriots on Sunday. Miller being inactive can certainly be explained by his performance — he has zero sacks in 11 games this year — but his contract might also be a factor, although a minor one.
Miller has $6.5 million in 2024 that is guaranteed against injury, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. That means if Miller suffers a serious injury, he’ll have $6.5 million guaranteed next year even if he’s cut by Buffalo.
Cutting the pass rusher this offseason would be a costly move for the Bills with a “dead money” cap hit around $32.5 million. It would be easier to move on in 2025, and that would also give Miller more time to bounce back from last year’s ACL injury.
Bills coach Sean McDermott left the door open to the possibility of Miller getting back on the game-day roster at some point this season, so Sunday’s benching might not necessarily signal a long-term decision.
Miller, 34, has totaled 123.5 sacks in 13 seasons (172 games). His last sack for Buffalo came in a 33-30 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 13 last year. He tore his ACL two weeks later and has struggled to return to his pre-injury form.
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