BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Bills on Sunday released pass rusher Von Miller ahead of the league year.

The move opens up $8.4 million in cap space, helping the team to get under the cap before the new league year, which starts Wednesday.

The team is open to bringing back Miller, who turns 36 on March 26, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Bills thanked Miller for his three seasons with the team when announcing his release.

The move gives the Bills $15.4 million in dead cap money for this year. Miller was under contract through 2027.

Miller was set to account for the second-most cap space on the roster ($23.9 million) only behind quarterback Josh Allen.

Releasing Miller comes after the Bills signed defensive end Greg Rousseau to a four-year extension Saturday. Sources told Schefter the extension, worth $80 million, includes $54 million guaranteed. The position remains a need for the team this offseason.

Miller's time with the Bills has been anything but smooth. The pass rusher signed a six-year deal worth $120 million in the 2022 offseason. After a good start that included eight sacks in 11 games, he suffered a major right ACL injury on Nov. 24, 2022. Miller stated during training camp in 2024 that he "probably should not have played" in 2023 because of the injury. He finished the 2023 season playing in 12 games and recording zero sacks and three tackles.

He restructured his contract last offseason, taking a pay cut and saving the Bills $8.645 million in cap space.

"Last year at this time, we were working on a restructure for him, and he did something unprecedented," general manager Brandon Beane said at the NFL scouting combine. "... He took a pay cut below his actual guarantee. And you're talking about a first-ballot Hall of Famer that did that. So, a lot of respect for what he did to come back and try and help us chase this trophy. And I thought as the year went on, he continued to show that he could still play."

Miller was then suspended four games (Weeks 5-8) for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, stemming from allegations of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend in suburban Dallas during the Bills' bye week in 2023. He turned himself in to the police and soon after was released on bond. The case was later closed, and charges were never filed. The NFL conducted a separate investigation.

The two-time Super Bowl champion had a solid season in 2024 as part of the team's defensive line rotation, recording six regular-season sacks. Miller did not play more than 21 snaps in any of the Bills' three playoff games, including 16 in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

He had 14 sacks overall in three seasons and 23 quarterback hits.

Drafted No. 2 overall by the Broncos in 2011, Miller went on to be named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year and had 110 sacks in 10 seasons with Denver.

An eight-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team All-Pro, he has 129.5 sacks in 14 NFL seasons. He won Super Bowls with the Broncos (2015) and in his one season with the Los Angeles Rams (2021) and had nine sacks combined during those two postseasons.

Miller ranks 16th all-time with his 129.5 sacks, the most since he came into the league.