Buffalo Bills: 5 offseason needs in 2020
By Jordan Foote
4. An extended Matt Milano
Luckily for the Buffalo Bills, the majority of their team is under contract for 2020. This allows the franchise to make the most of its plentiful cap space and make efforts to lock current players up long-term. Linebacker Matt Milano should be at or near the top of Buffalo’s list.
Drafted in the fifth round in 2017, Milano has exceeded expectations in a big way throughout his first three seasons. After intercepting three passes and recording 78 tackles in 2018, the former Boston College player put together a good 2019. Although he didn’t pick off any passes this season, he hit the 100-tackle milestone for the first time in his career and also defended nine passes.
Because he wasn’t a top pick in his draft class, Milano’s contract runs out after the 2020 season. He’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency then, something the Bills shouldn’t want him to see. As a young part of the defense, his importance in Frazier’s scheme cannot be understated. Milano isn’t a flashy player, but he doesn’t need to be.
Reliable linebackers are hard to come by in the NFL. Plenty of teams allow theirs to hit the free agent market and are left scrambling for solutions. Buffalo has the necessary cap space to sign Milano to a long-term extension, and doing so would bolster the middle of their defense for years to come.