General Manager of Bills Sparks Concern With 5-Word Update on All-Pro LB’s Injury
Matt Milano, the linebacker for Buffalo Bills had an excellent start to his 2023 season. However, he was forced to bring it to a sudden halt when he suffered from a leg fracture.
Milano has returned to the team’s facility for further rehabilitation, but fans were concerned after general manager Brandon Beane provided an update on his recovery timeline. Milano joined other players at Orchard Park this week for voluntary workouts and according to Beane, he is still working through his rehab process.
Due to some prior uncertainty regarding the severity of Milano’s injury, coupled with the response provided, fans had a few inquiries.
The Bills GM faces questions from fans.
Beane’s response sparked interest among certain fans who focused on his use of the phrase “his deal” to refer to Milano’s rehabilitation, rather than seeking further information about the specific injury that caused him to end his season early.
“I don’t understand the need for secrecy, especially since ‘his deal’ still won’t reveal the injury,” commented a fan on X.
Jay Skurksi of the Buffalo News criticized the Bills in November for not disclosing details about Milano’s knee injury, and their handling of it has been questioned.
Skurski noted that it is still unknown the extent of damage done to Milano’s knee alongside his broken leg. In case he has torn his ACL, there may be no chance for him to play this season.
However, the Bills have refrained from disclosing any information about it. It remains a mystery why they’re keeping it under wraps – that’s just how things work when you cover the NFL. Nonetheless, as time passes by without any concrete updates, optimism increases regarding his potential comeback in the future.
During the season, Sean McDermott, the Bills’ head coach, hinted that Milano had sustained a complex injury and criticized the team’s lack of honesty about it. In an interview with reporters on October 24th, McDermott expressed his desire for less specific labeling due to the intricacy of Milano’s injury.
According to McDermott, there were more intricacies involved in terms of medicine that he wasn’t fully acquainted with. Hence, could they simplify it and use the term “lower leg” similar to how NHL does?
Although Skurski had previously expressed unease over the team’s secrecy, he remained silent about Beane’s language this week and viewed Milano rejoining the squad as a positive indication.
“In a mailbag published by the Buffalo News on April 20, Skurski noted that McDermott confirmed an attendance rate of roughly 95% during the first week of OTAs. This bodes well for team morale, as does linebacker Matt Milano’s participation after being placed on injured reserve at the end of last season,” according to Skurski’s article.
The Linebacker Corps of Bills Might Be Subject to Change
Although there are expectations for Milano to come back in the 2024 season, Joe Buscaglia from The Athletic has raised doubts about his ability to maintain the same level of athleticism as last year. In order to alleviate some pressure on Milano, Buscaglia proposed that Dorian Williams – a second-year linebacker – be further developed and given a more prominent role on the team.
According to Buscaglia, Milano is about to reach the age of 30 and has recently suffered from a major injury in his leg. Williams stands out as the most suitable replacement for Milano due to his comparable swiftness and dynamism if needed by the team.
