The Buffalo Bills had one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL over the last decade under former head coach Sean McDermott, with a unit built around Pro Bowl talent like Tremaine Edmunds, Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer, and Matt Milano.
A fifth-round pick out of Boston College in 2017, nobody thought Milano was going to evolve into the All-Pro linebacker he became. He was viewed as nothing more than a depth piece at the time, playing just over 40% of the snaps as a rookie behind veterans Preston Brown, Lorenzo Alexander, and Ramon Humber.
But once he earned the starting spot, he never looked back, becoming a key fixture in McDermott’s defense. His snap counts nearly doubled from year one to year two, and by year three, he’d broken out, recording 100 combined tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, nine passes deflected, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
His best season came in 2022, when he racked up 99 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 passes deflected, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown, earning first-team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl nod. He capped that year with a monster playoff stretch, delivering 20 combined tackles and three sacks across two postseason games.
Then came the injuries. In 2023, Milano suffered a season-ending leg fracture during a Week 5 matchup against the Jaguars. In 2024, he tore his biceps in preseason and underwent surgery that kept him sidelined until late November. He’d missed time briefly in years prior, but these two setbacks were significant, limiting him to just nine games over two seasons.
Yet even after rebounding last season, finishing with 67 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 12 games, the Bills chose not to re-sign him when his contract expired this offseason.
In March 2025, Milano and the Bills restructured his contract, with him agreeing to a $3 million pay cut that set him up to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season.
Buffalo has already reshuffled its linebacker room under a new 3-4 scheme engineered by new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Greg Rousseau, Dorian Williams, Terrel Bernard, Bradley Chubb, and Christian Benford are expected to see heavy snaps, along with second-round rookie T.J. Parker and fourth-rounder Kaleb Elarms-Orr.
Milano, unfortunately, became the odd man out as the franchise shifts toward a younger, retooled front seven.
Milano’s game was built on versatility. He could cover tight ends and running backs like a defensive back, blitz like an edge rusher, and hold his own against the run. That combination made him one of the most well-rounded linebackers in the NFL.
Now that he’s a free agent, and with training camp just around the corner, there’s a good chance contenders come calling for the 31-year-old.
Look for the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers, who both have real, reported needs at off-ball linebacker, to potentially make a move here as camps approach. The Indianapolis Colts could be a sleeper fit as well.