Ryan O'Halloran: The Bills have options to compensate for loss of Matt Milano. Here they are

Ryan O'Halloran: The Bills have options to compensate for loss of Matt Milano. Here they are

The return of Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano would allow coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich to avoid using a dime package (six defensive backs) because Milano could cover, blitz and play the run. Not now. Milano’s torn biceps tendon, suffered in practice on...

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Bills linebacker Matt Milano, right, and Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid talk before the second half of last week’s preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Highmark Stadium. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News

Since they started meeting in February to plot a course for 2024, the revamped Buffalo Bills defensive coaching staff undoubtedly had linebacker Matt Milano as a key brick in the foundation.


Bills linebacker Matt Milano sustained a torn biceps tendon during Tuesday’s practice and is out indefinitely. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News

Milano would be 11 months removed from a broken leg for the Bills’ season opener Sept. 8 against Arizona. That would allow head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich to avoid using a dime package (six defensive backs) because Milano could cover, blitz and play the run.
Not now.

Milano’s torn biceps tendon, suffered in practice on Tuesday, will shelve him indefinitely.

What now for McDermott and Co. minus their best defensive player?

Option 1: Give Dorian Williams a chance.

The Bills will lean into the narrative that linebacker Terrel Bernard barely played in 2022 (110 regular-season snaps), using his rookie year to learn the system, allowing him to be a terrific player by 2023 (143 tackles).

Williams played 211 regular-season defensive snaps last year, and he figures to get an every-down opportunity minus Milano.

Williams is fast and physical, two traits that can’t be taught. Can he cover? Can he blitz effectively? We’re going to find out.

Option 2: Play more dime personnel, taking Williams off the field in those situations. The Bills played dime on 11.4% of their snaps last year.

Three weeks after Milano broke his leg in last October’s loss to Jacksonville, the Bills started to sprinkle in more dime in the win over Tampa Bay, using safety Taylor Rapp for 26 of 68 snaps. Later in the season, Cam Lewis played 16 snaps in an overtime loss at Philadelphia and 11 snaps in a win at Kansas City, and Rapp played seven and 13 snaps in the final two regular-season games (wins over New England and Miami).

Rapp is now an every-down safety. Entering camp, a good plan for the Bills had Rapp and Mike Edwards as the Week 1 starters, allowing rookie Cole Bishop to grow into a role, preferably as the dime player. Scratch that. Edwards (hamstring, July 26) and Bishop (shoulder, July 30) haven’t practiced at all in August.

Until Bishop and Edwards return, the Bills’ dime candidates are Lewis or maybe a true cornerback like Ja’Marcus Ingram.

The obvious concern in using six defensive backs is whether the Bills can effectively stop the run. Williams on the field is a better run defender than any defensive back.

Option 3: How about Baylon Spector?

After playing only 16 of a possible 37 regular season/playoff games in his first two years, Spector had participated in every training camp practice this summer … until Thursday.

Spector sat out the joint workout with Pittsburgh because of a calf injury that will shelve him for at least a week.

Option 4: An unlikely option – re-signing safety Micah Hyde. The Bills could start Rapp and Hyde in their regular defense and use Rapp’s versatility to move him into a dime role in those situations, teaming Hyde with Bishop (when he’s healthy).

The NFL calendar doesn’t stop for injuries, and the Bills have three weeks to again figure out how to play without Milano.

Milano’s timetable​

I asked Daniel Kharrazi, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai’s Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, for a Milano Recovery Road Map.

Kharrazi said when it comes to recovery from biceps injuries, a player’s arm will be in a sling for “generally” six to eight weeks (which includes starting “gentle motion” after three to four weeks). The final stage of rehabilitation is eight to 12 weeks.

Using that timetable, here’s a hypothetical best-case scenario for Milano, splitting the difference in Kharrazi’s estimates: Surgery on Aug. 20. … Rehabilitation starts at seven weeks (Oct. 8). … Cleared after 10 weeks (Dec. 17). That would make Milano available to play in the final three regular-season games if there were no setbacks.

Kharrazi said there are two types of biceps tendon tears – proximal, in which the tendon tears away from the shoulder, and distal, when the tendon tears away from the elbow. The tear is diagnosed via MRI. When a patient tears their biceps, Kharrazi said: “It’s not really a confusing type of injury. That minute, they say they can feel a strong pain and burning sensation, and they see and feel the tendon retract.”

When Milano has his surgery, which will last 60-90 minutes, Kharrazi said doctors will create a tunnel in the bone and use biocomposite screws to re-anchor the tendon with bone.

Quick kicks​

1. New IR rule helps Bills. In June, the NFL modified an injured reserve rule that will help the Bills. Teams can now place two players on injured reserve on cutdown day (Aug. 27) who can later be designated to return during the season. Previously, the Bills would have had to carry Milano on their initial 53-man roster for one day before placing him on injured reserve. This removes one move of roster gymnastics.

2. Kickoff recap. The “dynamic” kickoff debuted in full last weekend across the NFL, and the stated intention of having more returns meant it was an instant success. Looking at the 16 games, 83.3% of the kickoffs were returned (105 of 126); there were 20 touchbacks; and one kickoff that was short of the landing zone. The longest return was 73 yards by Jacksonville’s Parker Washington, and 17 players averaged at least 30 yards per return. Video from the Denver-Indianapolis game should have been viewed leaguewide – the teams combined for 13 returns.

3. Simmons was affordable. All-Pro safety Justin Simmons signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday that guarantees him a reported $7.5 million. This allows Simmons to get into camp three weeks ahead of the opener and use this season to reestablish his market value. According to the industry website Over The Cap, the Bills have $10,614,904 in available cap space, so they could have fit in Simmons, but it doesn’t appear he was ever on their radar, either for financial or production reasons.

4. Epenesa’s brother commits to Iowa. The development program of a football-playing Epenesa going from Edwardsville, Illinois, to play collegiately at Iowa continued earlier this week when five-star defensive end Iose Epenesa committed to the Hawkeyes. Once he plays for Iowa, he will join father Eppy and older brothers A.J. (a Bills defensive end) and Eric (a current Iowa linebacker) as Hawkeyes. Iose, listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, is rated as the No. 16 overall recruit nationally by 247Sports.

 

[HipKat]

Matt Milano Injury: 5 potential Bills moves at linebacker​

Matt Milano is injured once again, and there's work to be done. The Buffalo Bills need help at linebacker, and there are some options.

Matt Milano: 5 Potential Bills Moves At Linebacker

The Buffalo Bills find themselves once again without their beloved Matt Milano. A torn bicep, and the long recovery time following his surgery, look to derail t

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Buffalo Bills Mandatory Minicamp / Bryan Bennett/GettyImages

The Buffalo Bills find themselves once again without their beloved Matt Milano. A torn bicep, and the long recovery time following his surgery, look to derail the Bills defense for the hundreth time in the last four seasons. It seems to be fate, watching Buffalo struggle through the season without yet another star player. The next man up seems to be Dorian Williams, sophomore player out of Tulane, who spent much of last season playing rotationally next to Terrel Bernard in the absence of the very same Matt Milano. Expectations have him as the new starter, but it's an inevitably steep drop-off. Can he handle the reins until Matt Milano returns, in this season or the next?

But Dorian Williams is not the only option, nor is relying on our depth to outlast the season's struggles. There's a wealth of talent available to us, if we're only willing to make the sacrifice. Let's take a look at some players who can help out a now-barren linebacker core.

Shaquille Leonard​

Formerly known as Darius, Shaq Leonard has made a name for himself throughout his career. The 2018 Defensive Rookie Of The Year was a force to be reckoned with, and was feared for much of his time with the Indianapolis Colts. His career highlights include being First-Team All-Pro in three of his first four seasons, leading the NFL in tackles as a rookie and, at one point, being the highest-paid outside linebacker in NFL history. Not much time has passed since then, so what's changed?

Primarily, Leonard has changed. He's suffered a plethora of injuries and was so badly beaten that his play was taking a long time to recover. He voiced frustrations about his playing time as he recovered, and was subsequently cut; It was a move that baffled NFL fans at the time. After being picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles the next week, he got some playing time and truly didn't look ready to play. One offseason later, he is still unsigned.

If he's willing to play for the right price, Shaq Leonard is one of those high-reward moves we so love to hear about. The idea that his play could return to form in 2024 is a wishful one, but not impossible. If his play isn't up to snuff, however, it may be to the detriment of the team to play him at all. He's part of a short list of plausible starters on the market, and still far from an ideal candidate.

A.J. Klein​

If he hasn't already packed up his RV following his retirement announcement a few short weeks ago, A.J. Klein may just be willing to spin the tires one last time. He was the Bills emergency phone call late last season, as injuries continued to ravage our battered defense, and may have to do it again.

Though he was far from elite, his comfort within the team and knowledge of the defense makes him the only plug-and-play linebacker out there. Klein might just be the added depth we need to raise our floor, despite the little value he adds to raise our ceiling.

Zach Cunningham​

Though perhaps not quite as legendary as Shaq Leonard, Zach Cunningham is a solid contender for wishful veteran pickup of the offseason. His early days with J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans are remembered fondly, but they're also long gone. Now, Cunningham would have to fit an unusual role by his standards. He had a solid season in 2023, but is likely still looking for a long-term deal and it's not one the Bills would offer.

Still, if the two sides could come to an agreement, there's potential for Cunningham to start as the OLB or play rotationally. The main obstacle would be his health, as he's coming off multiple injuries over the course of his past two seasons.

Kwon Alexander​

Coming off a season-ending ruptured Achilles in November last season, Kwon Alexander is a big swing. He should be fully healthy now and ready to play, but which Kwon returns? It's a valid question. His best days are certainly behind him, but the pickings are rather slim at linebacker. If healthy, Alexander is a reasonable option, who can serve as veteran depth to a suddenly-young starting duo. Likely available for just above the veteran minimum, Alexander is an acceptable rotational player. He's one who can help secure the floor, and likely still has a few big plays left in him.

TRADE - Jamin Davis​

The final option on this list isn't a free agent signing at all, but a trade. All the best contributors are on rosters already, so let's find one. Trade for Jamin Davis, Washington Commanders. Davis has racked up 269 tackles, seven sacks, and an interception in his three seasons for the Commanders. Physical and imposing, he's be one of the rare available players who could compete for the starting role, and at least serve as solid depth at a now-desperate position.

Now, what makes him such an appealing trade candidate for the Buffalo Bills right now? The simple answer, aside from availability, is cost and commitment. Davis is no longer in the running for a starting role, sitting behind Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu. With that, his cost drops; Washington can trade him knowing they still have their primary contributors intact. He's also entering the final year of his rookie contract, with his fifth-year option declined by the Commanders. At most, Davis' value sits at roughly a future fifth-round selection, if that. The catch, and part of the reason for his cost and availability, is his off-field issues. Jamin Davis has been convicted of reckless driving this year, which seems to be a habit. Though jail time seems to have been avoided for now, and there were no injuries, it would be understandable for a team to not wish to commit to him long-term.

That's perfect for Buffalo, who's linebacker core is set for the future once the nightmare of another Matt Milano injury is over. By allowing Davis to compete here, he may earn that new contract elsewhere- A chance he won't get behind Wagner and Luvu. He fits the Bills salary cap, costing just over $2.5M post-trade. A clean, easy, stop-gap move that takes one worry off the minds of the team might be the best way forward.