The Buffalo Bills underwent some major changes during the 2024 NFL offseason. Because of some salary cap restraints, the team had to part ways with several key contributors from recent seasons.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans. Safety Jordan Poyer, center Mitch Morse, and wide receiver Gabe Davis all left in free agency. Edge rusher Leonard Floyd and cornerback Tre’Davious White also departed.
To help replace everything that they lost, the Buffalo Bills were active in free agency. Wide receivers Curtis Samuel, K.J. Hamler, Mack Hollins and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were brought in along with drafting Keon Coleman in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
But, the move that trumps all of them in the opinion of Trevor Sikkema of PFF is restructuring the contract of Von Miller. In Sikkema’s opinion, the restructure of the veteran pass rusher’s contract was the Buffalo Bills’ best move of the 2024 NFL offseason.
“It was a tough offseason for the Bills, as they turned the page and moved on from several core veterans who made up their winning window over the past few years. But they are still a team that intends to compete for the division, and they can now field a better roster due to the restructuring of Von Miller’s contract.
Miller finished with career-low PFF grades across the board in 2023, and while he could have held firm on the big contract number he was owed for 2024, Buffalo was able to restructure his deal to save about $9 million in cap space for signings and re-signings to remain as competitive as possible,” Sikkeman wrote.
General manager Brandon Beane was a bit handcuffed this offseason. Opening up as much money as he did by working out a restructured contract with Miller helped restock the roster with some veteran talent.
An argument can certainly be made that the Buffalo Bills’ roster isn’t as strong heading into 2024 as it was in 2023. They lost a lot of household names, but that may not be the worst thing.
Maybe a shakeup of the core was needed to help get this team over the hump. Despite making the postseason for five straight seasons, they have advanced beyond the Divisional Round only once.
As long as Josh Allen remains the starting quarterback, they will have a chance to compete in the AFC East. Changing some of the complementary pieces around him could yield more positive results than in recent seasons.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here.
Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
