For the second straight year, Matt Milano is facing a lengthy absence due to injury. The All-Pro Bills linebacker suffered a torn bicep during practice earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
As a result of the injury, Milano is out indefinitely. Schefter notes Milano will undergo surgery with the hope of being able to return at some point during the campaign. For the foreseeable future, however, Buffalo will need to make alternate arrangements at the linebacker spot.
Milano suffered a fractured leg as well as a knee injury in Week 5 of the 2023 season, ending his availability for the year. That injury left the Bills without a full-time starter at the second level of their defense through the playoffs and well into the 2024 offseason. The 30-year-old made progress in his rehab to the point he was able to participate on a limited basis during minicamp in June. Milano had been taking part in training camp while preparing to return to regular season action, but his attention will now once again turn to recovery.
Buffalo was set to rely heavily on Milano in 2024. The former fifth-rounder has spent his entire career with the Bills, starting 74 of his 90 games. He racked up three interceptions, 11 pass deflections and 99 tackles in 2022; those totals earned him a Pro Bowl invitation in addition to his All-Pro nod. Especially with Tremaine Edmunds having departed in free agency, the Bills were counting on Milano to remain a key member of their defense in 2023.
His absence was acutely felt, and the same will no doubt be true in 2024. Buffalo still has Terrel Bernard in the fold, and he served as a full-time starter last season. Buffalo also has 2023 third-rounder Dorian Williams on the depth chart; after logging a special teams workload as a rookie, Williams may now be thrust into a starting role. Other linebacker options include free agent signings Nicholas Morrow and Deion Jones, as well as fifth-round rookie Edefuan Ulofoshio. Of course, replacing Milano’s unique skillset with any one player will be challenging.
The Boston College alum signed a two-year, $28.33MM extension last offseason. Milano is thus under contract through 2026, although no guaranteed salary is in place after the coming year. Another major injury will lead to an on-field absence felt by the team, but it could also lead to efforts to restructure his deal and lower his future cap hits. In any event, Milano’s 2024 debut will be much later than anticipated.
Huge loss.
The Bills have alot of interesting players but they all come with ?s.
Spector makes tons of plays – in practice – and is always hurt.
Dorian Williams is super athletic – but way over aggressive. He gets eaten up constantly.
My hope is that he takes a Bernard like jump in year two. That is big upside.
They also have a couple of Vets – but I doubt they play WLB. Nicholas Morrow and Deion Jones.
They also have an interesting late round puck in Eddie (Im not spelling his last name, coach just calls him Eddie)
Im guessing Milano gets IR on last day of roster cuts with a return designation. This probably opens up a spot for Eddie.
There are players with big upside on the roster though…but Milano is hard to replace. Especially with both safeties changing at the same time.
Im not panicked, McD knows how to coach a D. But you hate to lose a guy like that. When he comes back it will be 1.5 years-ish since he played. Its fair to worry if he will be the same.
Feels like the Bills will be sellers at the market this year. Tough offseason for them. Might as well get draft capital and load up again.
I saw similar comments from the skeptics in the last two years. The Milano loss is huge, but they made it late into last season with a crew of second and third-stringers on defense.
Foolish. They have 7-10 mill in cap space. They will be keenly tuned into the upcoming roster cuts, capable veterans being moved aside for young up and comers. They will be working the phones, dangling a 3rd, to ADD a playmaker. A la Rasul Douglas.
I don’t think its crazy to think the Bills still win the AFC east.
I think the margin for error is really small though.
Sellers? They’re still the favorites to win the division. Pats are rebuilding, the Jets are the Jets, and the Dolphins faded hard last year (2-4 to close their season including a loss to the Bills with the season on the line and an embarrassing playoff loss). They’ll still win 10 games.
Buffalo = bottle it when it counts.
Miami = crap the bed vs. winning teams.
New England = can’t win unless they cheat.
Don’t get all your NFL news from ESPN, FS1, or talk radio.
“Don’t get all your NFL news from ESPN, FS1, or talk radio.”
That’s rich, seeing as your takes seem to be quite reminiscint of the exact talking points you’d expect to hear from those sources
Karma being paid by a dirty player
Dirty?
Milano is pretty good when he’s healthy.
Must be a Dolphin fan complaining yet again about a legal hit from two years ago. Milano can’t help that your QB is made of glass…
No, I’m a Jets fan who’s seen him smack our QBs in the head multiple times over the years and never once get flagged for it. Payback is a b*tch, as they say
Jets fan? Your defense is the dirtiest in the NFL, among the worst at roughing the QB (and getting away with it more often than not). Pot calling kettle black
That Jet defense allowed them to overperform their record last fall.
As to Buffalo’s defense, Milano can’t seem to stay healthy and he might miss the season with his torn bicep.
It’s hilarious hearing someone who roots for that dirtbag calling anyone else dirty.
Must be why your superstar QB lasted 4 whole plays
What are you even talking about?
Look for the Bears & Bills to make a deal before week 1, their needs & depth matchup very well.
I have one of those – been going on about 5 years now along with a ‘near complete’ rotator cuff tear……still have to cut down trees, buck em up, split and stack the firewood, I’ll throw in build fences (try digging holes where every shovel strike gets you rocks the size of your fist or bigger).
I was told unless you’re a professional baseball pitcher a rotator cuff isn’t necessary!
Hang it up bud, your chopped liver.
Why would Milano want to hang up his chopped liver? He probably paid good money for that.
Lol
Spelling doesn’t exist its a construct. Not real; like YOUR poor attempt at humor
Ghbvdyhnknvf
Spelling doesn’t exist as a construct made me literally lol.
Yeah, all I did was respond to what he wrote. Don’t know why he’s so upset. I mean, I didn’t make a mistake, that’s what he wrote.
And quite frankly, hanging up liver after it’s been chopped just seems unnecessary. Maybe he’s been using it as a phone, which just seems messy.
I suppose that he could have made a mistake and meant “you’e”, but that’s actually more confusing, because Milano is a good player. I think that I’m going to go with what he wrote. That question seems more realistic.
I wonder if using thumbtacks would work for hanging up chopped liver? That’s the only way I could think of, but it need to be really thin liver.
I’m still trying to figure out who the Bills could sign to help, Kwon Alexander is still available, & he plays in the middle. Shaq Leonard is also a free agent, but he plays outside. If he’s closer to 100% he’d be the best available.
The rehab projects might not be bad to start part of the season, and could hit the ground running. I’m not sure who the green dot is for Buffalo right now, but having the vets could make a fill-in for Milano easier in the interim until he comes back (hopefully healed).
Though the Bills weighed letting him walk before his extension, they placed a lot of trust in him as the foundation on the second level as other starters walked. The upside is that they get to build on Milano’s talents; the downside is that he have to replace more than just a good tackler/coverage player on the field if he misses time.