The Buffalo Bills are going in a huge different direction in terms of their defense. For the past nine seasons, Sean McDermott has implemented a 4-3 and 4-2-5 system that has worked, and also failed in crucial moments. With Joe Brady being promoted to head coach as an offensive-mind, he needed to make sure that he hired a strong defensive coordinator, which he did with Jim Leonhard.
The coaching staff for the defense is a lot different than it was a year ago, and that means that the roster on that side of the ball could look a lot more different.
Players like Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, Tre’Davious White, and Matt Milano may have played their final down as a Bill. However, when it comes to Milano, the Bills cannot afford to let him go if the price works for both parties.
Milano has been with the Bills since 2017 and has been one of the most important players the Bills have had in recent memory. However, we can’t overlook the injury history that Milano has recently developed. He played just one month into the 2023 season before suffering a season-ending leg injury.
He then missed most of the 2024 regular season after suffering a bicep injury in training camp. Milano and the Bills restructured his contract last offseason that took a year off of his deal, making him an impending free agent. This past season, Milano vastly improved his production but he still missed some time.
Free agency begins next month, and there are three reasons why the Bills would look absolutely foolish to let Milano walk.
3 reasons why Bills must re-sign Matt Milano
Perfect fit for Jim Leonhard's defense
Under Leonhard, the Bills should expect to be more aggressive and Milano is not afraid to be physical against the run. There have been plenty of times where Milano has delivered a hard tone-setting hit. It brings energy to the defense.
Bills fans saw how aggressive the Broncos were in their playoff matchup against Buffalo, and keeping Milano around to keep that physicality in the defense.
Continuity on defense
There is going to be a ton of change to this defense, but the BIlls may want to also consider keeping some continuity if possible. Milano knows Buffalo and knows exactly what it would mean to deliver this fanbase a Super Bowl. Even with the incoming changes that are coming, it’s still important to have just a little bit of continuity rather than a complete overhaul that could be extremely risky.
Versatility factor
Players who are versatile can be utilized in many different ways, making them extremely valuable. Since coming into the league, Milano has been on special teams for the Bills and has worked his way up to being a valuable member of the defense. He can stop the run and he can play coverage against the pass.
A player like Milano doesn’t always come around, so unless the Bills can find someone who has a similar playstyle, that could be a huge factor in Buffalo trying to keep Milano.