The K.C. Chiefs have been searching for solid linebacker play ever since Derrick Johnson’s play faded in the last years of his career. From signing Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson to drafting Dorian O’Daniel and Willie Gay, Jr., the Chiefs have been hoping to find the right tandem to man the heart of the team’s defense for a while now. Perhaps a new free agent addition could be key in taking the unit to the next level: Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano.
Milano entered the NFL as the fifth round pick of the Bills back in the 2017 NFL Draft after showing off an impressive well-rounded skill set at Boston College. While his measurables didn’t turn heads enough to elevate his stock, the game tape showed a tough, instinctual player with deceptive quickness, toughness, and intelligence, as he put up 29.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in his final two seasons with the Eagles.
The Bills watched Milano climb the depth chart almost immediately for Sean McDermott’s defense. He started five games during his rookie season and was the full-time Sam linebacker for the Bills by 2018. Since then, he’s developed a name for himself around the league for his coverage skills at linebacker for a very impressive young Bills team and has put up 6 sacks, 5 interceptions, 5 fumble recoveries, and 30 tackles for loss since arriving in the league.
The Chiefs have been called the ideal landing spot for Matt Milano.
In his latest column, Seth Galina of Pro Football Focus believes that the Chiefs are the perfect landing spot for Milano’s talents this offseason.
"Milano is a very good coverage linebacker, and with the Chiefs holding leads in almost every game they play with Patrick Mahomes, these types of players are essential. While Milano does miss tackles in the run game, that’s not as important an aspect of the position right now. He had the NFL’s 12th-highest grade at linebacker in 2018, at 76.1, but his play has dropped over the last two years, when he’s graded at 65.6 and 54.5, respectively."
While we share Galina’s sentiments that the addition of Milano would be nice for the Chiefs, it feels unlikely to happen. Despite missing time last year due to pectoral and hamstring injuries, Milano is still going to be a red hot free agent as linebacker play is lacking for several teams in the league and someone who can play the pass so well at his position is going to be in high demand.
At this point, Milano is coming into his own in the NFL at the age of 27. The Bills defense was noticeably better when he was on the field than off of it, so even his injury history can be spun in a positive way for the player’s overall value. Speaking of which, Spotrac has his market value set at nearly $14 million.
Even in a down year, Milano is going to find the money this offseason given his skill set, body of work, youth, and positional value. If the Chiefs really believe Milano is key to their future, they can make a signing work by massaging other contracts and backloading any long-term deal with the player. However, given the other commitments already on the roster, it’s hard to imagine the Chiefs being able to outbid others for Milano’s services. And since this is the linebacker’s best chance at earning a life-changing payday, it feels like he’s going to go to the highest bidder.