Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR 550) - With the Buffalo Bills needing to be salary cap compliant come the start of the new NFL year on Wednesday, the team not only made a move to free up some space, but lock up a key defensive player to two more years under contract.
The Bills announced on Sunday they have signed All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano to a two-year contract extension that will last through the 2026 season.
In addition, the Bills have reportedly freed up approximately $6 million worth of salary cap space with the move, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Milano is coming off a career-best season with the Bills, recording 99 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, 11 passes defended, three interceptions and a touchdown in 2022. That was good enough to earn him league honors as not only a Pro Bowler, but also a nod as an AP First-Team All-Pro at linebacker.
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Milano was originally signed to a four-year contract extension just before he was set to hit the free agent market in 2021. This latest contract extension will keep him in Buffalo another two seasons, good through the 2026 season.
In parts of six seasons with the Bills, the 28-year-old has registered 458 career tackles, 57 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 38 quarterback hits, 37 passes defended eight interceptions, two forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries and one touchdown. He was a fifth-round pick of the Bills (163rd overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Boston College.
According to Spotrac, even with the new contract for Milano and nearly $6 million of cap space created by this contract extension, the Bills are still just over $17.1 million over the salary cap.
The Bills must be salary cap compliant by the time the new league year begins at 4 p.m. EST on Wednesday.
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