After watching Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett reach extensions with the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns, respectively, the edge rusher market got awfully thin, awfully quick.
In an ideal world, the Green Bay Packers will upgrade at the spot, given the lack of production and the frustrations of being unable to hit home rushing four in 2024.
On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills released Von Miller. While some have listed the Packers as an interesting team to watch in the sweepstakes, Miller doesn’t fit Green Bay’s timeline.
The Packers don’t need a placeholder at defensive end. They need a player who can step in and contribute for the long run.
Miller has name recognition but will turn 36 at the end of March.
Brian Gutekunst is typically reluctant to dish out contracts, regardless of length, to players who are 30 or over. Do we really think he’s getting in line for Miller just because there’s a need at defensive end?
No.
Miller has six sacks in the last two seasons combined despite playing in 25 games. What’s more noticeable is the rapid decline in reps. He only played 33% of the snaps on defense in 2024 for Buffalo. In 2023, it was 32%. Go back to his first year with the Bills, and Miller played 61% of the total snaps on defense.
His age and steep decline in playing time make no sense for Green Bay.
If the Packers were looking for a veteran leader who had more impact in the locker room, by all means, consider Miller. That isn’t what they’re looking for, though. Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary take up the leadership role while helping to solve the woes seen in large stretches up front.
Gutekunst knows it was a problem in 2024 and didn’t shy away from the topic when asked about it at the NFL Combine in February.
We need to affect the quarterback more in our front four, with just four players. I’m excited about the guys we have in the room, we’ll see if we add to it, but that’s gotta get better if we’re going to accomplish our goals we want to accomplish in this season.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense relies heavily on getting pressure with four. Green Bay finished 31st in the NFL in blitz percentage at 17.3% in 2024. At this stage in his career, Miller isn’t helping to solve that consistently enough.
If Green Bay wants to take a massive swing for an edge rusher, two other options in Crosby and Garrett are off the board. However, Trey Hendrickson still lurks after requesting a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals.
Some may dismiss Green Bay’s emphasis on getting home with four. They’re wrong — it matters.
The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl mainly because they consistently harassed Patrick Mahomes by rushing just four. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t have to get exotic with his play calling because he consistently got pressure with Philadelphia’s front four.
If you go through a checklist of why the Eagles won that game in New Orleans, their ability to get to Mahomes without bringing help is at the top of the list.
When you can consistently do that, it opens up everything for a defense and creates more opportunities on the back end. Being able to drop more guys in coverage because you don’t have to roll the dice by bringing five or six creates a numbers problem in the secondary for an offense.
Gutekunst knows that.
We had good moments last year, but it just needs to be more consistent. It needs to be able to control the game when we need to control the game and finish games off.
Because of Hafley’s scheme and the inconsistencies that unit displayed last season, Green Bay will have to put more resources into the defensive end spot. If Gutekunst is true to his word that it’s time to start competing for championships, running it back with the same group isn’t an option.
However, the Packers won’t panic-sign someone, and Miller would be a panic signing. Name recognition can only carry so much weight; look at the free-agent wide receivers left on the board.
This isn’t All-Pro Von Miller. He hasn’t had that distinct honor since 2018. In an age where seemingly everyone makes the Pro Bowl because of opt-outs, Miller hasn’t had that on the resumé since 2019.
Miller will fit somewhere, and it may be back in Buffalo. He’s a good option for a contending team that needs a little jolt and a situational pass rusher.
Green Bay needs more than that — way more than that. Von Miller doesn’t align with what the Packers are trying to do and what they require to take the next step up front.
