Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that the team plans to open the 21-day practice window for linebacker Matt Milano to return from injured reserve.
However, Milano will not play in Buffalo’s crucial Week 11 tilt with the undefeated Chiefs.
Milano tore his bicep during training camp, forcing him onto IR in August and raising concerns about the 30-year-old’s ability to play this season. The Bills remained optimistic about his recovery and will now give their veteran linebacker a chance to prove his health in practice. He will have three weeks to ramp up before he must be activated to the 53-man roster or revert to season-ending injured reserve.
Milano’s torn biceps was his second major injury in the last two seasons. He fractured his leg in October 2023, ending his season after just five games. The Bills struggled to cover the middle of the field in his absence, an issue that has continued into this year with Milano on injured reserve.
Like last year, Buffalo has relied on multiple young linebackers to fill Milano’s role. 2023 third-rounder Dorian Williams has started all 10 of the Bills’ games and leads the defense with 93 tackles. Terrel Bernard started all 17 games last season, but missed three games this year with a pectoral strain. Third-year linebacker Baylon Spector stepped up in Bernard’s place for the first three starts of his career.
Despite Milano’s absence, the Bills have remained a top-10 scoring defense with just 19.3 points allowed per game. Even though the 2022 All-Pro won’t play in Week 11 against the Chiefs, his successful return to the field could give Buffalo a major boost as they vie for the AFC East crown and an elusive Super Bowl appearance.