Bills GM raises Concern With 5-Word Update on All-Pro LB’s Injury
Matt Milano, the linebacker of Buffalo Bills, was enjoying a remarkable start to his career in 2023 by displaying some fantastic performances in five games. However, he faced an unexpected end as he endured a leg fracture abruptly.
Milano has returned to the team facility for rehabbing, however, fans were left concerned after general manager Brandon Beane provided an update on the All-Pro’s timeline. Milano attended this week’s voluntary workout in Orchard Park but according to Beane, is still working through his deal.
Fans had some questions due to the reply and previous uncertainty regarding Milano’s injury extent.
The Bills’ GM is being questioned by fans.
Beane’s response was focused on Milano’s rehab being “his deal,” which drew attention from certain fans, instead of providing further information regarding the leg injury that ultimately terminated his season.
“One fan expressed confusion on X about the secrecy surrounding ‘his deal’ and why they still wouldn’t disclose the injury, as they didn’t see any benefits to keeping it under wraps.”
The handling of Milano’s injury by the Bills has already been criticized. In November, Jay Skurksi from the Buffalo News pointed out that the team had not disclosed any specific information regarding how severe damage was done to Milano’s knee.
Skurski wrote that the extent of Milano’s knee injury, along with his broken leg, remains unknown. Should he have torn his ACL, there is no question that he will be out for the rest of the year.
However, the Bills have not disclosed any details about his injury. It remains unclear why they are keeping it such a closely guarded secret – this is typical in NFL coverage. Nevertheless, as time passes without information being revealed, there is a growing sense of optimism that he will eventually make a comeback.
During the season, Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott alluded to Milano’s injury being intricate and criticized the team for not being transparent about it. On October 24th, while talking to reporters, McDermott expressed his desire for a more vague description of the injury due to its complicated nature.
“I found it to be more intricate, particularly from my medical viewpoint – utilizing terminology that I am not entirely acquainted with. Therefore, may we simply refer to it as the “lower leg,” similar to how NHL labels such an injury?” voiced McDermott.
Skurski didn’t express any apprehension regarding Beane’s phrasing this week, which was a positive indication that Milano had returned to the team. This is despite his earlier worries about the team’s confidentiality.
According to Skurski’s write-up in a mailbag for the Buffalo News on April 20th, McDermott confirmed that attendance during the initial week of OTAs was notably high at approximately 95%. This is an encouraging indication along with linebacker Matt Milano returning after being placed on injured reserve toward the end of last season.
A possible rephrase: The Bills may consider overhauling their group of linebackers.
Although Milano is anticipated to come back for the 2024 season, Joe Buscaglia from The Athletic raised doubts about whether he would sustain his previous level of athleticism. To alleviate some of the strain on Milano, Buscaglia proposed that second-year linebacker Dorian Williams could be further developed and assigned a larger responsibility by the team.
According to Buscaglia, Milano is about to reach the age of 30 and has recently suffered a major leg injury. Therefore, it would be wise for his team to secure another player with similar speed and explosiveness in case he needs replacing, which Williams happens to possess more than any other candidate.
