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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bills pass rusher Von Miller said Tuesday night on his podcast that he did suffer some lateral meniscus damage to his knee, but that he hopes to be back before Buffalo’s game against the New York Jets on Dec. 11
Speaking on the injury for the first time since it happened during Buffalo’s Thanksgiving Day game, Miller said on “The VonCast” that he did not tear his ACL and that the injury could have been better and could have been worse.
“I do have some lateral meniscus damage and it’s going to have to be addressed,” Miller said on the podcast. “But I do feel like I can, you know, play through that, so I’m just gonna wait a little bit, and let the swelling go down for about 7-10 days and, hopefully, right before the Jets game I will be back.”
The Bills host the Jets in Week 14.
Miller also shared on his podcast that free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Miller’s close friend and teammate last year with the Los Angeles Rams, is coming to visit the Bills on Friday.
“Hey man, it ain’t over till it’s over,” Miller said. “He’s going to see the Giants, us and the Cowboys. And I think, when he comes here, I don’t think he’s gonna leave.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Beckham is scheduled to visit with the team on Monday. Beckham is returning from a torn ACL suffered in the Rams’ Super Bowl win.
The Bills could use some help at wide receiver, with Jamison Crowder, Jake Kumerow and Marquez Stevenson all on injured reserve. Some talent at the position would bolster an offense that has been inconsistent since the Week 7 bye.
Buffalo plays at the New England Patriots on Thursday night, after which the Bills continue a key AFC East stretch at home against the Jets and Miami Dolphins. Buffalo is 0-2 in division play this season.
“If I’m out there, you know that I’m ready to go and I feel totally confident,” said Miller, who was already ruled out for Thursday night’s game and has not participated in practice this week.
Miller’s injury — to the same right knee in which he suffered a torn ACL in 2013 — occurred with less than three minutes remaining in the first half against the Detroit Lions when he appeared to get rolled up on. He quickly went to a knee and spent a couple of minutes talking to trainers on the field. He spent several minutes in the medical tent on the sideline before being carted to the locker room.
Miller ranks third in the NFL in quarterback pressures (38) behind Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (46) and Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon (36). No other Bills player has more than 12 pressures, with Miller’s 216 pressure gap the largest in the NFL this season. Miller leads the Bills in sacks (eight), pass rush win rate (23.7%) and pressure percentage (14.6%).
The good news for the Bills is that defensive ends Greg Rousseau (ankle) and AJ Epenesa (ankle) have been full participants in practice this week after missing time due to injuries. Their return would be huge for the defensive line even if Miller was available.
In the meantime, Miller said he continues to look on the positive side of things.
“I don’t want nobody feeling sorry for me,” Miller said. “I signed a six-year deal, don’t feel sorry for me. … I just got to fight through it, man, and I’ll be back. Rehab is going good. I’m feeling good.”