Matt Milano returned to the Buffalo Bills to remain a key part of this defense.
Matt Milano was part of Sean McDermott’s first draft class with the Buffalo Bills. As a fifth-round pick, he has certainly emerged as a late-round steal for this team. While he did start some as a rookie, it wasn’t until 2018 that he became a full-time starter and in 2019 was when he truly broke out.
This past season though was a disappointment for Matt Milano as he suffered a number of injuries throughout the season that really limited his impact. However, his absence also showed just how valuable he is to this defense. The fact the Bills were able to bring him back on a multi-year will certainly make this defense better.
Profile
Position: Linebacker
Age: 26
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 223 pounds
Years of Experience: 5
2020 Stats
Matt Milano appeared in 10 games last year, starting five of them, and finished the year with 45 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three passes defended, and one interception.
Expectations for the 2021 season with the Buffalo Bills
Sean McDermott likes to utilize a nickel formation a lot in his scheme, which is great for matching up against offenses that rely heavily on the pass and three-wide receiver sets. However, it also puts pressure on the linebacker position as they are only able to two linebackers on the field at a time.
Matt Milano is valuable to this defense because he not only does well against the run but is one of the better coverage linebackers in the NFL. In games that he missed last year, tight ends like Mike Gesicki, Travis Kelce, and Darren Waller played well against the Buffalo Bills.
If Matt Milano is able to stay healthy and play as he did back in 2019, the Buffalo Bills defense will certainly be improved this coming season.