Getty Bills edge rusher Von Miller at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024.
For the second straight year, the Buffalo Bills are getting some drama surrounding a star player at the start of mandatory minicamp.
One year after wide receiver Stefon Diggs was sent home from the first day of minicamp, edge rusher Von Miller sparked his own speculation with a cryptic post on Instagram. The veteran shared a popular meme showing an expensive car parked next to an otherwise small and inexpensive home, an image that has been used before in sports in reference to a star player wasted on a poorly run team.
Von Miller posted a cryptic Instagram story👀👀
While Miller did not share any caption that further explained the image, some fans questioned whether he was discontent with his place on the team.
No Signs of Unhappiness for Von Miller
Despite the speculation that the image sparked, there was no indication that Miller might not be happy with the team. In his Instagram stories, Miller also shared several images of himself at practice including one with the captions “Hard Hat, Lunch Pail” to show the hard work he was putting in.
Miller also shared another image on Instagram with a more optimistic outlook for the coming season.
“Year 14.. Still tapped in. Still laughing big daily. Still prayed up and letting God guide me,” Miller wrote in the caption.
Von Miller Looking to Bounce Back
Miller is coming off a difficult season where he struggled in returning from a torn ACL. The veteran edge rusher had a career-low three total tackles in 12 games with no sacks and just three total quarterback hits.
This offseason, the Bills and Miller agreed to a renegotiated contract that reduced his salary cap number by $8.02 million for 2024. After the team announced the move, general manager Brandon Beane praised Miller for his willingness to make a sacrifice on behalf of the team.
“I thought Von did something I don’t know that many people would’ve done, because he took less than what he was guaranteed, and say what you want, whether you thought he’s performed to the level or not,” Beane said in March, via the Buffalo News.
Beane also revealed that Miller was involved in the contract discussions, which the general manager said is not usually the case.
“He put the team first. He wants to win,” Beane said. “He said that since the day he got here, and to basically cut it in half and go below his guarantee, I don’t know if I’ve seen a player do that, especially someone that’s going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer like him. So, much respect for him.”
Miller could be starting to get back on track. Syracuse.com reporter Matt Parrino reported that he looked sharp at practice earlier this week, turning in his best performance on the field in months.
“The speed, burst, and bend off the edge is something that just hasn’t looked the same for Miller since he tore his ACL back on Thanksgiving in 2022,” Parrino wrote. “He said he couldn’t practice last season without a knee brace, which he’s discarded this offseason and during OTAs. Miller still wants to play a few more seasons, and he showed some signs on Tuesday – albeit in a non-padded practice – that it could be possible.”