Bills notebook: Beane gives insight on restructured Miller deal; Hyde still deciding
Earlier this month, Von Miller agreed to a renegotiated deal to have his salary cap number reduced by $8.02 million for the 2024 season.
The conversations with Von Miller went better than expected.
Earlier this month, the edge rusher agreed to a renegotiated deal to have his salary cap number reduced by $8.02 million for the 2024 season. General Manager Brandon Beane gave some insight to the conversations he had with Miller to get to that point.
“I thought Von did something I don't know that many people would've done, because he took less than what he was guaranteed, and say what you want, whether you thought he's performed to the level or not,” Beane said Sunday. “He definitely did prior to the injury. Last year was tough. We saw that with Tre'Davious (White) trying to work back from his injury. I do think Von will look more like the Von we know coming into this year.”
Beane said the renegotiation started with Miller's agent, Joby Branion. Then, Beane and Miller got on the phone to continue talking through it. Beane called it a “great conversation” with Miller, where the pass rusher did consider his best interests, but also looked out for the team.
“He put the team first. He wants to win,” Beane said. “He said that since the day he got here, and to basically cut it in half and go below his guarantee, I don't know if I've seen a player do that, especially someone that's going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer like him. So, much respect for him.”
Miller’s new cap hit for the 2024 season is $15.154 million. Given the pay cut, Beane felt it was important for Miller to be involved in the conversation.
“There have been pay cuts before where it was only through the agent that we worked, and then the player got it signed, but this was one of those ones, the relationship that we have with Von, that I just thought it was very important at some point through this conversation for he and I to have that dialogue,” Beane said.
Hyde still deciding
At the end of season, safety Micah Hyde was undecided on his future. That still seems to be the case.“I've talked to his agent since I've talked to Micah. I don't think he shut the door, yet,” Beane said. “I think it's still open, and we definitely wouldn't shut the door to ever bring a Micah Hyde back, if he decides to play. I don't know truly if he's 100% one way or another.”
Either way, Hyde is an unrestricted free agent. He has worked through a neck injury that kept him out most of the 2022 season and popped up again throughout last season. Still, Beane said if everything worked on both sides, he would still be open to having Hyde back.
“I wouldn't close the door,” Beane said. “I mean, obviously, it would have to fit within the cap, and maybe he says, ‘Hey, I'll play for Buffalo or another team, but I'm not playing for less price.’ So it would still have to fit within the business model to make it work.”
Even so, Beane indicated he was happy with the recent moves at safety – extending Taylor Rapp, signing Mike Edwards and re-signing Cam Lewis – while recognizing that doesn’t mean the team is done.
“Getting Taylor (Rapp) back, I thought he did a great job in his role last year, and showed that he fit our DNA and could play in this defense,” Beane said.
“And added a Mike Edwards, who we felt was very good a year ago and was a really good move by Kansas City to get him and as soon as (Bryan) Cook went down for them, he fills in and did a really nice job and was a big part of their Super Bowl run. So another guy that is tough, instinctive, smart, fits some of those top qualities in a safety. Very similar to Taylor.
“So those two guys, plus bringing Damar (Hamlin) back – and this will be a year removed from what all we know Damar went through. And Cam Lewis, we really feel, is a versatile piece that can obviously play nickel, play safety for us and special teams. So, right now, we have those guys, and we wouldn’t close the door if there’s another opportunity to add somebody, free agency or the draft.=
White’s release
The Bills are releasing Tre’Davious White as a post-June 1 cut. Beane said Sunday that some of those conversations with the cornerback started in January, just before the GM went to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.“Tre's a guy that wants clarity,” Beane said. “And I just said, 'Listen, we're trying to get clarity on the cap and where it is and all the moves we're going to have to do, but as soon as I can give you an answer, we'll do that.' And so I was very transparent with him and his agent throughout the process, whether that was a pay reduction or release or something, if we're going to have to alter it.”
Beane said White handled it like a pro, and there was added emotion from seeing all the ways White had worked back from multiple injuries. Beane also indicated that the Bills wouldn’t rule out a reunion in the future.
“And I told him (White), I said, just because this move is now doesn't mean it doesn't work out for us to get you back in Buffalo,” Beane said.