The Buffalo Bills have made some major salary-cap cuts this offseason, and one analyst says one of the most significant changes is still to come.
The team parted ways with several senior players, including safety Jordan Poyer, cornerback Tre’Davious White, and center Mitch Morse. Together, the trades saved over $30 million in salary cap. In addition, the Bills traded top receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. According to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, the next move could be to trade Von Miller, a high-priced star who struggled in his return from a ruptured ACL. Though Miller had already agreed to a wage decrease, Ballentine pointed out that he is still expected to cost $15.2 million against the limit in 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 stated.
Trade would save the Bills $8.8 million.
Ballentine stated that if the Bills dealt Miller after June 1, they would save nearly $8.8 million on the cap, allowing them to stretch the dead cap charge over the next two seasons. That might be a crucial figure later in the season, when new requirements may surface, Ballentine said.
“That’s enough money for the Bills to actually have an in-season rainy day fund, which 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 appealing trade candidate despite a significant drop in performance. Miller struggled to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season, dropping to the bottom of the team’s defensive line rotation.
“Miller didn’t come close to being worth that throughout the 2023 campaign. He appeared in 12 games due to injuries and did not record a single sack.
He only played 32% of the snaps and contributed to the defense’s problems,” Ballentine said.
Bills Ready to Make Difficult Decisions
This offseason, Bills general manager Brandon Beane has not shied away from making difficult roster decisions, such as trading Diggs to the Texans just weeks after losing No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis to free agency.
Beane indicated that the team needed to get out of the receiver’s hefty contract and wanted to do it as quickly as possible. By moving Diggs now, the Bills received a second-round selection pick in exchange.
“We think we can compete and do what we need to do by eating it now,” Beane stated during an appearance on The Athletic Football Show. “Not next year. Because if we didn’t, if we attempted to divide it up in too many different ways, it’d be like having an albatross hanging around your neck all year. You glance at your cap and say, “Look how much money we still have dead.”
Trading Miller may have a similar impact, leaving the team with some dead cap space now in return for more flexibility in the future.
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