Getty Bills linebacker Von Miller at Highmark Stadium on October 26, 2023.
The Buffalo Bills have undertaken some drastic moves to cut salary cap this offseason, and one analyst believes one of the biggest moves could still be coming.
The team parted ways with a series of veteran players including safety Jordan Poyer, cornerback Tre’Davious White, and center Mitch Morse. The moves saved close to $30 million in salary cap combined. The Bills also unloaded top receiver Stefon Diggs in a trade with the Houston Texans.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes the next move could be trading Von Miller, the high-priced star who struggled in his return from a torn ACL. Though Miller had already agreed to a pay cut, Ballentine noted that he is still set to cost $15.2 million against the cap for 2024.
“His new contract is heavy on incentives that could reportedly help him earn up to $20 million this season, but at 35 years old, the days of Miller being a dominant edge rusher are likely behind him,” Ballentine wrote.
Trade Would Save Bills $8.8 Million
Ballentine noted that the Bills would save close to $8.8 million against the cap if they traded Miller after June 1, which would allow them to spread the dead cap charge over the next two seasons. That could be an important figure later in the season when new needs could arise, Ballentine added.
“That’s enough money for the Bills to actually have an in-season rainy day fund that would allow them to sign players and potentially acquire a player via trade before the deadline,” Ballentine wrote, adding that Miller’s $1.5 million base salary for the upcoming season could make him an attractive trade candidate despite a big dip in performance.
2 years ago today Von Miller was officially introduced by the #Bills
Miller struggled to generate pressure on opposing passers last season and fell to the bottom of the team’s defensive line rotation.
“Miller didn’t come close to being worth that in the 2023 campaign. He played in 12 games due to injury and didn’t register a single sack. He played just 32 percent of the snaps and was part of the problem on defense,” Ballentine added.
Bills Willing to Make Difficult Decisions
Bills general manager Brandon Beane has not shied away from difficult roster decisions this offseason, including the trade that sent Diggs to the Texans just weeks after the team lost No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis in free agency.
Beane explained that the team would need to get out from the receiver’s big contract and wanted to do it sooner rather than later. By trading Diggs now, the Bills were able to get a second-round draft pick in return.
“We think we can compete and do what we need to do by eating it now,” Beane said in an appearance on The Athletic Football Show. “And not next year. Because if we didn’t, if we tried to come up with some way to split it up too many different ways, then now it’s just like that albatross hanging on your neck all year. You look at your cap and you’re going, Look how much money we still have dead.”
Trading Miller could have a similar effect, leaving the team with some dead cap now in exchange for greater flexibility down the line.