On Monday, the Buffalo Bills announced that they would be opening the 21-day return from Injured Reserve window for linebacker Matt Milano. This is the first step to his return, and his first time taking part in a regular season practice since the Bills boarded their plane to London in Week 5 of last season. It's been a long road that should have ended in Week 1 this season before his latest injury, but he's almost there.
Return Timeline
With his practice window opening this week (Nov 13th-15th), Milano has three weeks before his mandatory elevation to the active roster, or a move to season-ending injured reserve. Let's look at the Bills' schedule in relation to that timeline:
Nov 13th-15th | Nov 17th | Nov 24th | Dec 1st | Dec 3rd-5th | Dec 8th | Dec 15th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Return Window Opened | Bills vs. Chiefs | Bye Week | Bills vs. 49ers | Mandatory Roster Move | Bills @ Rams | Bills @ Lions |
If and when Matt Milano returns, he will be on the team and taking up a roster spot by December 5th, and at the latest will be eligible to play in the Week 14 game against the Los Angeles Rams. He can return to play anytime before that also, but the expectation is that the Buffalo Bills would use the entirety of the 21-day window. When that day comes, a corresponding move must be made to activate him to the roster, or else he will revert to season-ending injured reserve and will be ineligible for return this season or postseason.
The impact of Matt Milano
One simply cannot stress how much Matt Milano impacts this defense. Whilst LB Dorian Williams has done well in Milano's absence, he lacks the splash play ability that Milano genrates, and cannot cover defenders in space with the same lethality. Dorian Williams currently leads the team in tackles, and is seventh league-wide in total tackles with 93. He's also fourth in the NFL in solo tackles, with 58. These numbers are generally higher for linebackers than other positions, but especially so for a linebacker that is not feared by an offense. Matt Milano's most tackles in a season came in 2019, when he had 101 in 15 games.
Why are his single-season numbers still so low in comparison to Williams' half-season stats? Because opposing offenses avoid Milano. They don't target him because he plays so well in coverage, and they don't run at him because he is a speedy and physical threat, closing running lanes inside and catching backs at the line of scrimmage when they bounce outside. Dedicated Buffalo Bills fans may remember Tre'Davious White at his peak, hailed as the least-targeted cornerback in the NFL as a result of his on-field talent. It's not just his impact on the man in front of him but the men behind him; Matt Milano was part of the reason Buffalo had a league-leading secondary for much of the 2018-2023 defense.
His addition to the top of the food chain only leaves the Bills more prepared for potential injury. The Bills are thin at the position already, especially as Baylon Spector headed to injured reserve late last week. Buffalo doesn't need a reminder of the spot they found themselves in at the close of the 2023 season. The team had to sign A.J. Klein off his vacation to play significant snaps against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Bills playoff exit. Milano has a massive impact on the game, and could well have been the difference maker in that 3-point loss.
Back at 100%
In short, Matt Milano will be returning soon. But which Matt Milano? The confident, tough tackler with a nose for the ball? Maybe instead the Bills find someone who is yet to find midseason form, coming off a pair of significant injuries, at least 420 days removed from their last game?
His current recovery is from a torn bicep, which could hinder his play for a while post-return. His previous injury, since which he has yet to dress in uniform, was a tibia fracture that lost him an entire season at his best. His recovery from that was a dominating storyline this offseason, and we can't just assume that everything is back to normal, and that we only have the latest injury to worry about. We don't truly know if he's going to play at the level for which he has become known. The former First-Team All-Pro may not be exactly who we remember him to be.
""We’ll see how this week goes. Really where we’re at is, it’s been a while since he’s played football here. He’s done a phenomenal job, along with our trainers, of getting back to now where he can get back out there.""HC Sean McDermott on LB Matt Milano
We can expect the leg injury to have fully healed at least, even if he isn't exactly as game-ready as we hope. The bicep will likely cause him some pain and occasional weakness over the oncoming weeks, but his return should be gradual enough to afford him the proper support.
With Tre'Davious White's return from his first IR stint, his recovery was drawn out, with inactive status on gameday from some time after his window was over and limited snap counts for a long time. Buffalo did the inverse with Von Miller, as he played against Jacksonville in 2023 just four days removed from his return window opening. Admittedly, that had seemed premature, as he played limited snaps for some time after and wasn't truly impactful until late in the season.
Buffalo, at an 8-2 record and owning a large lead in the AFC East, can take their time with Milano's return to ensure he's fully healthy and ready for the Buffalo Bills' inevitable playoff run. Expect him to be playing significant snaps by Dec 22nd, when the Patriots visit the Bills in Week 15.