As we are now in the second week of free agency in the new league year in the NFL, the Buffalo Bills have been busy. They’ve added plenty of new faces and brought back many of their own guys as well. More moves could be coming, as the team has just cleared a little more cap space, as star linebacker Matt Milano has reportedly agreed to take a pay cut.
Milano’s reworked deal essentially works out to a $3.6 million pay cut for the upcoming season. The soon-to-be 31-year-old can earn it all back with in-season incentives based on playing time, sacks, and interceptions. However, part of this reworked deal has shaved a year off of his contract, as Milano who was originally under contract until 2027, is now slated to become a free agent next offseason. The move will reportedly save the Bills just roughly $6 million in cap space.
It seems to be a fair shake for both the Bills and Milano, similar to what Von Miller did last offseason. Miller went on to earn almost all of his money back through his performance incentives after a long road back from injury. Milano has dealt with some unlucky injuries over the last two seasons. In 2023, fresh off his First Team All-Pro season, Milano was yet again proving why he was a top off-ball linebacker in the league.
Then, in London only a few weeks into the season, he fractured his leg and did some ligament damage as well, missing the entire year. After rehabbing and finally making it back last summer, he tore his bicep during a tackling drill in practice just weeks before the season began and missed up until week 13.
Milano slowly worked his way back into it and seemed to get right just at the ideal time for the playoffs. While he wasn’t the star Bills Mafia was used to seeing, he was inching closer every game. Against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship was his best game of the year, making multiple big plays to help keep the team in the game. A fan favorite for years in Buffalo, the unfortunate injuries have hurt both the player and the team over the last few years. The Bills defense missed him big time, and Milano missed essentially two seasons of his prime.
Bills maybe losing Matt Milano after 2025
The Long Island, New York-born linebacker was a fifth-round pick by the Bills back in 2017. He quickly became a cornerstone piece for the Bills under Sean McDermott that helped reshape Buffalo football out of darkness. In his eight seasons with Buffalo, including the last two where he played only nine combined games, he’s recorded 504 total tackles, 59 tackles for loss, 10 interceptions, 10.5 sacks, 39 passes defended, and two defensive touchdowns. The 6’0” 223 lbs former Boston College linebacker has been one of the league’s best coverage linebackers since he entered it.
Having a knack for making big plays when they’re needed, Milano has been one of the only players who has shown up to play in the playoffs, for the Bills’ infamous playoff defense. In 11 playoff games over the years he’s notched 90 tackles, six tackles for loss, five sacks, five passes defended, and 12 quarterback hits.
He’s been a massive part of gameplans, executing as a quarterback spy, including two victories against Lamar Jackson, and helping keep the Bills in games against the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, who the Bills can never get down in the postseason.
As mentioned earlier, it could be a win-win here with the reworked deal. Milano can earn all of his money, while also getting the chance to earn another top-dollar deal next offseason. As he would be 32 going into the 2026 season, it could be the last big deal of Milano’s career. For the Bills, it gives them money to use now, to get better for a playoff run this season, with Super Bowl aspirations.
The Bills love Milano and his next deal could be from them again, which fans would love. However, they have a former third-round pick from the 2023 draft behind him in Dorian Williams, who plays like a heat-seeking missile. Milano’s paycut helps the team now, and this season just got even bigger for the former All-Pro.