During the 2025 offseason, the Buffalo Bills made the move to restructure the contract of linebacker Matt Milano which essentially put him as a pending free agent after this season. Due to multiple injuries that kept him from playing in a lot of games the last couple of years, it wasn’t surprising to see the Bills make this kind of move.
Milano was a huge steal for the Bills in the 2017 NFL Draft, being picked in the 5th round out of Boston College. At first, he made his way onto special teams but then he quickly rose as a star on defense.
The one knock on Milano is his durability. He hasn’t suited up for every regular season game since his rookie season. From 2023-2024, he appeared in just nine regular season games. He’s had injuries in both the upper and lower body. Due to all of the injuries he has had, it is fair to say that he could very well be playing his last couple of games as a Bill.
As the regular season comes to a close and the Bills prepare for the postseason, Brandon Beane is going to have to evaluate the roster to start thinking about how the roster could look for next year. With the season that Milano has had up to this point despite missing a few games, he is putting the front office in a tough spot.
Matt Milano is making a push for another contract with Bills
Heading into this Sunday, Milano currently ranks third on the team in total tackles and third in team sacks. When on the field, he’s been a fantastic sideline-to-sideline linebacker who can also drop back into coverage. Not many linebackers have that ability.
While Dorian Williams has had his moments with his hard-hitting run stops, he’s not the type of linebacker that the Bills need in pass coverage.
If Milano finishes this season on a high note and makes the case to be Buffalo’s best defender in the playoffs, the front office will have to make a tough decision on whether or not to bring back Milano and let him walk.