Buffalo Bills: Von Miller the ideal addition both on and off the field
The Buffalo Bills made one of the more surprising signings in free agency adding Von Miller to a team that should be seen as a Super Bowl favorite.
Raise your hand if you had the Buffalo Bills as the frontrunners to sign Von Miller a week ago?
The Bills pulled off one of the sneakiest heists of free agency by agreeing to a six-year, $120 million deal with the star pass rusher. Give Brandon Beane credit, there were no reports of Buffalo being interested in Miller and that likely played into the team’s favor in more ways than one.
You can bet that if any other contender got word that the Bills were circling Miller, there would have been more of a desire to keep that from being a possibility. The Los Angeles Rams tried hard to bring Miller back but in the end, the interest from the Bills was too hard to ignore.
Beane definitely had his best poker face when asked about what his approach was going to be in free agency.
“I wouldn’t see us being big spenders or anything like that, but we’ll definitely look to fill some spots from the outside as well as retain some of our guys,” Beane said at the start of the offseason. “We’ll be creative, whether it’s extending guys, restructuring, we’re gonna try and reload this thing and see if we can get over the hump.”
I guess adding a future first-ballot Hall of Famer with two Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl MVP and the NFL’s active sack leader isn’t big spending? Considering the moves made by AFC teams this offseason, the Bills couldn’t stand on the sideline considering how their season ended and the potential this roster has.
There really is no better addition for a team that has struggled to reach its ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl than a player who has come up big in those moments. Not only will it inspire confidence in the players but it puts the rest of the league on notice.
Cole Beasley was the cap casualty following the Bills big signing but given the emergence of Gabriel Davis after recording four touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs. Isaiah McKenzie is also returning and there are other ways to find receivers through the draft and free agency, this isn’t as big of a loss for Buffalo.
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Don’t overlook the impact of the Buffalo Bills signing O.J. Howard
While Bills Mafia were enjoying the addition of Miller, the team also added tight end O.J. Howard in a move that flew under the radar.
Sure, Howard hasn’t reached the potential that was expected of him when he was drafted 19th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To be fair, he wasn’t a prime feature in the Bucs offense the last few seasons playing behind Rob Gronkowski.
Howard signed a one-year, $3.5 million but can make up to $5 million in a prove it deal for himself in many ways. This is a player that can certainly thrive if he and Josh Allen can get on the same page.
There should be some tempered expectations considering the former Alabama Crimson Tide star suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2020. It’s not an easy injury to come back from but if used correctly given and ability to create a mismatch in coverage because of his size, it’s an exciting addition for the Bills.
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What are your thoughts on the Bills signing Miller? Can he be the difference maker? Do you think Howard can get back on track in Buffalo. Let us know in the comments below.