Despite LB’s Week 3 absence, Bills may have received good news on Matt Milano injury

While Matt Milano has already been declared out for Thursday night’s matchup between the Bills and Dolphins, the former All-Pro linebacker may have received some good news on the pectoral injury that has sidelined him early in the season.

Upon announcing the team’s practice-squad elevations before the primetime game against Miami, the Bills did not make any additional roster moves at that time. Which means Milano has seemingly avoided being placed on injured reserve — at least for the time being.

Bills linebacker Matt Milano pulls in a pass during interception drills during the second day of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University on Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Pittsford. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the Bills could still place Milano on injured reserve in the future, if they felt his absence was going to extend to four weeks or beyond, they would have had to make that move by 4 p.m. Thursday to open up a spot on the 53-man roster before the game against the Dolphins. Now that they have elected not to do so, the question becomes, how quickly will the 31-year-old linebacker be able to return? 

That remains to be seen, but dating back to last season, fellow linebacker Terrel Bernard missed just two games with a pectoral strain, which is likely the hope of the Bills in Milano’s case this season. Milano has also dealt with a pectoral injury previously, during the 2020 season. He initially missed two games with the ailment before returning, only to be placed on injured reserve later, missing an additional three games.

So there is a wide range of outcomes for Milano, but the fact that he was not placed on IR certainly bodes well for what he hopes is a quick return to the lineup.

Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano (58) is all smiles as he heads towards the bench with the ball he got possession of after the New York Jets fumbled it during second half action at the Bills home game against the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 29, 2024. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the meantime, it will be Dorian Williams, the team’s 2024 leading tackler, seeing the bulk of the reps at linebacker opposite Terrel Bernard. Williams is a strong run defender, but has displayed inconsistencies in pass coverage and does not possess the same level of instinct that Milano is able to employ post-snap.

Milano’s loss will be felt in one way or another, as he has been a bright light for this defense since the start of training camp and delivered impactful play through the first game and a half of the year. He finished Weeks 1 and 2 with nine tackles, one of which came for a loss, and a sack. And he didn’t play in the second half of the win over the Jets.

With that said, Buffalo is in a much better position to replace his services this season than it has been in the past, when this defense had to turn to the likes of A.J. Klein, who came off the couch to play in a playoff game for the Bills just a few years ago. Williams is a capable replacement and should inspire confidence in fans as the team navigates Milano’s most recent injury.

Along with Milano, the Bills have declared defensive tackle Ed Oliver out for the second straight game due to an ankle injury he sustained leading into the team’s Week 2 matchup with the New York Jets. In Oliver’s absence, rookie defensive tackles T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker have seen increased opportunity, while Zion Logue has been called up from the practice squad for two straight weeks.