Von Miller #40 of the Buffalo Bills
Bills Eye Replacement for Struggling Von Miller in 2025 Draft
Two years after signing edge rusher Von Miller to a $120 million deal, the Buffalo Bills are rethinking their strategy as the veteran struggles with injuries and declining performance. In an early 2025 NFL Draft prediction, ESPN analyst Matt Miller suggests that the Bills could use their top pick on Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton to bolster their pass rush.
Von Miller’s Decline and Uncertain Future
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Von Miller’s tenure with the Bills has not gone as planned. After tearing his ACL in a Thanksgiving Day game in 2022, Miller returned in Week 5 last season but failed to regain his form. He recorded just three total tackles and no sacks in 12 games, eventually falling to the bottom of the defensive rotation and being benched for a crucial late-season game against the New England Patriots.
Miller himself has acknowledged his struggles and admitted that he rushed his return from injury. “My biggest individual goal is just getting back to playing my style of football,” Miller told SI.com’s Pat Benson. “It’s crazy how you get injured, and you come back, and you really shouldn’t have even been playing, and people judge you by a product on the field. I could have easily sat out all of last season, but I couldn’t do my teammates like that.”
Despite the setbacks, Miller remains motivated by the criticism he received. “I feel like people are judging me on that, so it’s making me a little bit angry, to be honest,” he said. “I just want to get back to playing my style of football, making sacks, dancing, and making plays for my teammates. That’s been my whole mindset this offseason.”
Scourton as a Potential Solution
In his draft prediction, Matt Miller highlighted the Bills’ need for a reliable pass rusher. “The Bills’ early top needs for 2025 look a lot like they did in 2024,” he wrote. “After selecting Keon Coleman to pair with Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel at receiver, GM Brandon Beane might opt to address the team’s pass rush, Buffalo’s other looming issue, next spring.”
Miller suggested that Nic Scourton, a standout at Purdue before transferring to Texas A&M, could be an ideal fit. “Scourton posted 10 sacks at Purdue in 2023 and has the strength at 6-4 and 280 pounds to take over the SEC now that he’s at A&M,” Miller wrote. “Turn on his tape against Michigan from last year, when he tallied two sacks, and you can see the impact he brings to a defense.”
As the Bills prepare for the upcoming season, the focus remains on how they can strengthen their defense and ensure they remain competitive in the AFC. Whether Von Miller can return to form or the team moves forward with new talent like Scourton, Buffalo’s defense will be a key factor in their pursuit of a championship.
