Bills might gift the Raiders a perfect addition before training camp
By Ryan Heckman
As the Las Vegas Raiders inch toward training camp, there are still some roster moves we could see made. One of them could come by way of the Buffalo Bills, who are speculated to potentially cut ties with former All Pro linebacker Matt Milano.
Bleacher Report's Alex Kay had this to say when speculating over Milano's potential release:
"The 29-year-old is only a season removed from a career-best 2022 campaign—one in which he amassed 99 tackles (including 12 for a loss), 11 pass defenses, three interceptions (including one returned for a score), two fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks while earning All-Pro honors—but he went down for the final 12 games of last season with a fractured leg, marking the second time in the last four seasons that he missed a large chunk of action.
The injury could hinder Milano's ability to play at a high level and may spell the end of his tenure in western New York."
Kay also dove into the financials, which fans can see via outlets like Spotrac and Over the Cap. Milano's release would save the Bills $10 million in 2024.
Matt Milano could completely change this Raiders defense
Should the Bills actually part with Milano, the Raiders must go after him as a free agent. Milano's 2022 season should be more than enough proof, but he's been a consistently-great linebacker for years now.
The team has Divine Deablo as their current starter, but he is not irreplaceable. Deablo allowed an opposing passer rating of 106.3 last year. By contrast, in Milano's healthy 2022 season, he allowed an opposing passer rating of just 70.6 while coming up with five pass breakups and three interceptions.
Deablo's coverage grade was a lowly 60.2 last season. Meanwhile, Milano had a stellar grade of 82.2 during that 2022 campaign (courtesy of Pro Football Focus. The difference between the two is what could launch the Raiders into the top-10 in pass defense. And last year, they finished 12th, believe it or not. This team isn't far off from being a top-tier pass defense.
Milano also has three seasons with double-digit tackles for loss, proving he has a well-rounded skill set that can be used to rush the passer and help in run support, also.
Would Buffalo actually consider releasing him? They have a couple of recent third-round picks in their linebacker room in Dorian Williams and Terrel Bernard, so as crazy as it might sound, Buffalo could have reason enough to make this move.