Bills’ Von Miller eager to reestablish himself as top pass-rusher after no-sack season

Von Miller says he feels like his old dominant self again.

And this time the NFL’s active leader in sacks means it.

After spending last season trying to convince himself he had the ability to fully overcome major knee surgery in less than a year, the Buffalo Bills edge rusher arrived at training camp this week determined, upbeat and motivated to show he hasn’t lost a step.

“I haven’t felt like this in two years,” Miller said Thursday, following Buffalo’s second day of training camp. “I’m feeling good. I’m ready to go. And I’m fired up that I didn’t have the type of production that I wanted last year.”

Zero sacks in 14 games, including playoffs, is not an easy number to digest for a 35-year-old who has spent his 13-year NFL career priding himself on winning, consistency and work ethic.

“I’m Von Miller. I’m kind of measured by sacks,” the two-time Super Bowl champion said, shaking his head and chuckling. “But I didn’t get any last year. I made three tackles.”

However much Miller second-guessed whether it might have been better to have taken all of last season off, he leans on the experience and lack of production as fuel.

Driving his confidence further is having spent the entire offseason focusing solely on training rather than rehabbing.

The brace Miller wore on his right knee last year is gone. So are the worries he played with, which led to Miller limiting or eliminating pass rush moves that might expose his right leg to being hit. It wasn’t until the final weeks of the season and playoffs when he said he started playing with more freedom.

“I learned you can’t force things. And I think as a football player in my whole entire life, you just try to make things happen,” Miller said.

“At times, it’s been great for me. But at times, like last year, it just wasn’t working for me,” he added. “I think just being able to separate rehab and football, and just be able to focus on football, will be able to pay off for me in the regular season.”

There’s plenty riding on Miller reestablishing himself in Buffalo, where in his first season in 2022 he had a team-leading eight sacks in 11 games before injuring his right knee during a win at Detroit on Thanksgiving.

Buffalo’s defense relies on its front four to generate pressure and free up its linebackers and secondary to drop back in coverage or send a blitzer in passing situations. The pass rush could also use a boost to replace the free-agency loss of Leonard Floyd, who led the team with 10 1/2 sacks last season.

In Miller’s case, his future in Buffalo — and perhaps the NFL — could depend on him rebounding. Though entering the third year of a six-year $120 million contract, his salary cap number jumps by nearly $9 million in 2025, which could make him unaffordable for the Bills.

Miller took that into account this offseason by restructuring his contract to help reduce the team’s salary cap total.

Coach Sean McDermott accepted Miller’s limitations last season by noting it takes most players two years to fully recover from knee surgery.

“That’s going to be the challenge. But that’s what Von’s here to do,” McDermott said. “I know he’s worked hard in the offseason, and that’ll be a big piece for us as we move forward up front.”

Miller has plenty to motivate him, ranging from personal pride to Hall of Fame aspirations and where he currently ranks on the NFL sacks list.

With 123 1/2 sacks, Miller ranks 19th overall, and is 15 away from moving into 10th, ahead of Richard Dent and John Randle. Miller was already looking at 15 sacks as a goal last season before finishing with none.

Buffalo’s opener against Arizona on Sept. 8 will mark 665 days since Miller had his most recent sack in a 33-30 overtime loss to Minnesota on Nov. 13, 2022.

Suddenly, a defensive play that helped establish Miller’s reputation has become elusive, leaving him eagerly looking forward to getting his next sack.

“I feel like each and every sack that I make from here on out will be so special,” Miller said. “Whether it’s one, whether it’s two, whether it’s 15, each one would mean the world to me.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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