Since the Brandon Beane era started in Buffalo, the Bills have built their roster through the draft and familiarity. After a successful 2019 season, the Bills are a team that will have to start paying up for the talent that they brought in. Tre’Davious White is due for a big payday and Dion Dawkins just received his four-year deal worth $60 million, keeping him as the blindside protector for the future of the Bills.
Both players are from the 2017 draft class and now we wait for another payday for a fellow member of the Bills 2017 draft class; Matt Milano.
A fifth-round pick out of Boston College, Milano bursted onto the scene in Western New York his rookie season and has not looked back yet. He has been a key player for Sean McDermott’s defense racking up 149 tackles, 2.5 sacks, four interceptions and a defensive touchdown. He is what Kiko Alonso was suppose to be before tearing his ACL.
So with payday coming up for a various players on the Bills, when will Milano get his moment?
Could it be before the season? While there lots of hopes into resigning Milano, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL may take a big hit financially which means all 32 teams may end up not having as much money in the salary cap later on. Let’s not forget that in two to three years, the Bills will be looking to pay Tremaine Edmunds and Josh Allen. The Bills’ front office will have to evaluate if they will be able to be responsible with paying their players.
How Valuable is Milano?
He is not a big name, but he is a big time player in the Bills’ defense. He is never in the wrong spot and he is a tackling machine. While it would hard to let Milano walk, I do not believe that the Bills will let Edmunds and Allen go at all.
It is not as hard to replace an outside linebacker, but because he is a McDermott player he may be a priority for the front office. The biggest problem in this entire situation is playing the waiting game. What will the salary cap look like later on? What does the market look like for a linebacker? Only time will tell. Milano does deserve a payday, but will it come from Buffalo?
