Two Bills defensive stars were full-go on first day of training camp

Both Matt Milano and Von Miller were back up and running on day one of Buffalo Bills training camp.

Jul 24, 2024; Rochester, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller (40) greets defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (92) during a training camp session at St. John Fisher University. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills' defense was still fantastic on paper in 2023, finishing third in points per game allowed at 18.7, but the squad lacked something you can't quantify: the splash plays. A lot of that was due to the loss of All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano and the slow recovery of future Hall-of-Fame pass-rusher Von Miller.

The good news for Bills Mafia is that it looked and sounded like the two former All-Pros are close to being themselves again on day one of Bills' training camp. The duo practiced in full for the opening stanza, giving their general manager much to be excited about after one practice in shorts.

"Seeing that twitch that he has always had, winning his one-on-ones," Brandon Beane said of Miller. "You would love to see him get back, not only winning his one-on-ones, but people are like, 'Hey, we have to have a plan for him' because if two people have to block him or two people have to chip him, someone is going to get a single block."

Related: 7 takeaways from first day of Bills' 2024 training camp

Beane went on to praise Milano, stating "He has attacked everything with his rehab. This was as good as we could have hoped that he would be starting camp. We have to manage him. He is a competitor. He is going to want to practice every day, but I don't think that is realistic. It is good to see him out there. Like everything, he is going, man. I used to make that play, but I think over time we will see him blend back in. We missed 58 last year; it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that, so it is good to have him and that edge. We know he won't give a long speech or anything like that. Matt has a toughness, an edge, and a presence that our defense needs, so it is good to have him back

Many of the camp observations for those two were positive, including those of Cover 1's Anthony Prohaska, who noticed Miller having a couple of good pressures around the corner and added that both players "had juice today." That "juice" is something Miller's head coach is optimistic will return in year two after his ACL surgery.

"I am excited for Von," McDermott told reporters Wednesday. "Coming off of an ACL, for as long as I have been around this game, there have been variations of guys coming back faster than others. Usually, it is in that second season that they recapture their form. That is going to be a challenge, and that is what Von is here to do. I know he has worked hard in the offseason and will be a big piece for us."

Again, if the duo can reach what we saw just before the injuries, the Bills' defense should stay at the top of points per game and have more of those elusive splash plays. Don't forget in the 11 games Miller played before taking the turf in Detroit, he already had eight sacks. As for Milano, he had 30 tackles and two interceptions in just five games in 2023. The Bills, and their fans, would most likely sign up for 80% extrapolated over a 17-game season and a playoff run.

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