Grade for the Buffalo Bills signing of free agent Von Miller

The Buffalo Bills under general manager Brandon Beane have typically not been big spenders in free agency but that all changed this week when they agreed to a six-year, $120 million contract with pass rusher Von Miller. The former Broncos and Rams defensive end was coming off a Super Bowl victory and was one of the top free agents available.

This is my grade for the Buffalo Bills signing Von Miller when looking at what the player brings to the team and the contract they agreed to.

What Von Miller brings to the Buffalo Bills?

There isn’t much that Von Miller doesn’t bring to this team and addresses a number of key needs. The biggest is on the field as he is one of the top pass rushers in the league and is the current active league leader in sacks. This past season he split time between Denver and Los Angeles after he was traded midseason and would finish the regular season with 9.5 sacks. Miller was also a big part of the Rams’ playoff success with four sacks during their postseason run.

The value off the field could be just as important as the sacks he has on the field as he is a veteran that can help lead a young group at the position with players like Greg Rousseau, Boogie Basham, and A.J. Epenesa, with all three players having less than two years of experience.

He should also be a voice in the locker room for a team looking to get to, and eventually win, the Super Bowl. Miller accomplished this twice, once as a member of the Denver Broncos and then this past season with the Rams.

Contract

The initial report of the contract being a six-year, $120 million for Miller was shocking considering he is going to be turning 33 this month. However, once the details emerged this was a great deal for Buffalo.

According to Spotrac, there is a potential out after three seasons which would result in only $7.4 million in dead cap. This would make the contract a three-year deal worth $52.47 million which is excellent for a player of his caliber.

When adding in the fact that his cap hit this year is only $5.15 million this season, it is hard to envision a better deal for Buffalo.

Final Grade: A+

There is no question that the Super Bowl window for the Buffalo Bills is wide open and general manager Brandon Beane didn’t want to waste a single year of that. The addition of Von Miller gives this defense a premier pass rusher, a leader in the locker room on a contract that doesn’t sacrifice current or future flexibility in terms of the salary cap.