Getty Images Von Miller rushes the passer against the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason in 2021.
The Buffalo Bills were looking to make a big move ahead of Tuesday’s November 2 NFL trade deadline but lost out to an NFC Super Bowl contender.
One of the biggest moves this NFL season came a day before the deadline, with the Denver Broncos sending seven-time All-Pro linebacker Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a second-round pick and third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
The move will likely solidify the Rams as contenders in a competitive conference, but for the Bills could have boosted their already league-best defense to another level.
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Bills Were In on Miller
As NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reported on Good Morning Football, the Bills were one of at least three teams trying to land Miller before the deadline, along with the Dallas Cowboys.
Per @PSchrags, the Bills and Cowboys also called the Broncos about Von Miller.
Big time to get it done with a bunch of contenders knocking on the door.
Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright later noted on Twitter that “talks were just never as substantial as Rams.” It’s not clear whether the Bills made a formal offer, but Miller could have given a boost to a pass rush that has been inconsistent at times.
Though the defensive line has been a strength for the Bills, they have struggled at times to get to the quarterback, including the Monday Night Football loss to the Tennessee Titans where they failed to sack Ryan Tannehill or generate consistent pressure.
Though there had been rumors that the Bills were interested in adding another pass-catcher for Josh Allen and deadline-day talk that backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky could be on the move, the Bills held pat at the deadline and made no moves. That meant keeping their deep rotation at the defensive line intact.
Some insiders speculated that the Bills could trade away one of their linemen, and other teams had been inquiring about whether Buffalo was willing to part with any of them, but no moves were made.
RT to welcome @VonMiller to LA 🤗
As Matt Parrino of Syracuse.com pointed out, Bills general manager Brandon Beane has always looked into potential upgrades. The Bills were reportedly in the mix for J.J. Watt last offseason, though he ultimately picked the Arizona Cardinals.
Miller Speaks Out on Leaving Denver
While it may have hurt the Bills to lose out on a potential upgrade, it appeared even more difficult for Miller to leave the only team he’s known in his 10-year NFL career. Miller spoke out on Monday from the Broncos’ team facility, where he was preparing to depart.
“It’s still kind of hard to put into words. It’s still kind of raw, but thank you, thank everybody, and off to L.A.,” Miller said, via ESPN.
“It’s still hard — you can’t really put it into words,” Miller added. “Somebody told me once you want to make God laugh, then make plans. You’ve just got to keep going, keep taking it one day at a time. I’ve got a beautiful baby boy, had a lot of beautiful years here, lot of great memories, lot of great teammates, lot of great coaches, lot of great fans.”
❤️ Forever
Miller had faced questions about whether he could recover from the ankle injury that wiped out his 2020 season, but this season was still putting up solid numbers for the Broncos. He had 4.5 sacks and nine total tackles this year.
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