The Bill have activated Matt Milano off of injured reserve, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The veteran linebacker is in line to make his season debut on Sunday night against the 49ers.
Milano has been sidelined since tearing his bicep during training camp in August. The Bills placed him on IR after 53-man roster cuts with a designation to return, indicating that the team expected Milano to play at some point this season.
His practice window was opened on November 11, but Milano needed a few weeks to ramp up before retaking the field in the middle of the Bills defense. Just like last year when Milano missed most of the season with a fractured leg, Buffalo has been vulnerable in the middle of the field without the 2022 All-Pro. The Bills are also allowing 4.9 yards per carry this year, the fifth-highest in the league.
However, Buffalo’s opportunistic defense has only surrendered 214 points, the seventh-fewest in the NFL, largely due to a league-high 17.9% turnover rate. Adding Milano back into the fold won’t take away their turnover potential, but it will shore up their weaknesses, raising the defense’s floor without taking away their disruptive ceiling.
Dorian Williams and Terrel Bernard have started at linebacker in Milano’s absence, with 11 starts and a 77.4% snap share for Williams and eight starts and a 62.14% snap share for Bernard. Both players will likely see a reduction in playing time now that Milano is healthy, especially with the Bills’ propensity to run three-safety dime packages in obvious passing situations.
The Bills also elevated tight end Zach Davidson and quarterback Mike White from the practice squad for Sunday night’s game, per a team announcement. This will be Davidson’s second appearance of the season after serving as the offense’s third tight end against Kansas City. White has yet to be active in a game this year, and he will likely serve as the Bills’ emergency third quarterback.
Huh.
You’ve got to bill-eve. Have faith!
Much earlier than I expected, honestly. Hopefully he’s ready and not rushed, but this is a great time to add a player like Milano during the ending stretch. Hopefully Milano also had enough to rehab and ensure that coming back won’t set him back for the future.
I was more concerned with Mike White!
Milano wont play real snaps for a few weeks. Its a get ready type situation.
Probably for the best, if so. Buffalo could use him, but there’s no need to potentially cause another issue by not being ready.
Dorian Williams has been really goid.
Just seeing how he will respond fir January!
It looked to me like he played a ton, mostly on first and second down. I hope they can find a way to get Dorian a lot of snaps. He’s been excellent all year.
He actually got 37 snaps last night – that is alot more than I was expecting.
But that is a good sign for sure!
Are the stars aligning?!?! It’s starting to feel like a magical season.
Really big addition to their defense.
So is Trubisky a scratch?
Was wondering the same
lol.. Milano has literally never played MLB for Buffalo. Edmunds first, and now Bernard is the Mike. Milano plays WLB. Bills run a 4/2/5 or big nickel. You would think someone from PFF might try to do some research.
It’s actually PFR, the rag mag of sports reporting.