Report: Von Miller expected to return to practice this week

The Buffalo Bills could be one step closer to getting a big boost on defense. Von Miller is expected to return to practice this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

Miller hasn’t played since last Thanksgiving when he tore his ACL against the Detroit Lions and started this season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. He’s eligible to come off the PUP list this week, and his return to practice is the first step toward his return to the lineup. That said, he will miss this week’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins and their high-powered offense.

Per NFL policy, the Bills have three weeks to decide whether to add Miller to the 53-man roster once he returns to practice. While there’s no specific timeline for his return, Buffalo is planning to take a cautious approach with Miller, according to Schefter.

Miller’s initial goal was to play in the season opener against the New York Jets, but the Bills opted to put him on the PUP list instead so as not to rush his return to the field. That will keep him healthier come a potential playoff push.

Still, based on Miller’s comments over the summer, it’s going to be more of a mental transition rather than a physical one.

“I have good information from my doctor, and my knee is all healed up,” Miller told the Buffalo News in June. “It’s all about me and how confident I can be (over) the next three months.”

What Von Miller brings to the Buffalo Bills

The Bills signed Miller to a six-year, $120 million contract prior to the start of last season, and his injury occurred 11 games into his time in Buffalo. It’s his second ACL injury of his career after he tore his left one in 2013.

Buffalo has had an up-and-down start to the 2023 season. It started with a loss to the Jets, who went without Aaron Rodgers after he suffered a torn Achilles just four plays into the game. But the Bills bounced back with two straight victories over the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders to bring a 2-1 record into Sunday’s matchup with the Dolphins.

In Miller’s absence, free agent signing Leonard Floyd has seen plenty of work for the Bills’ defense, as have Greg Rousseau and AJ Epenesa. The possibility of getting one of the NFL’s best pass rushers back is a welcome sign for Buffalo, though, as the calendar flips to October.