The Buffalo Bills will be missing two key players when they take the field against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday, including one who could miss several weeks.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced on Wednesday that linebacker Matt Milano would be out, just days after he was hurt in the team’s blowout win over the New York Jets. McDermott also ruled out a return for defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who missed last week’s game after suffering a foot injury.
No Clear Timeline for Matt Milano’s Return
Milano missed the second half of last week’s game against the Jets after suffering a pectoral injury. Though McDermott initially said Milano had been dinged up in the game, he was later noncommittal when asked by a reporter if the linebacker could be sidelined for the long term.
“I don’t know,” McDermott said, via the Buffalo News. “We’ll see.”
The setback is a discouraging development for a player who has dealt with a string of injuries. Milano did not play until November last season after suffering a torn bicep in training camp and had missed the end of the previous season with a fractured leg.
As Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News noted, Milano looked to be back to full health during training camp and the start of this season.
“Milano was healthy throughout the Bills’ offseason, and was arguably their best defensive player during training camp,” Lysowski wrote. Through two games to start his ninth NFL season, Milano has nine tackles, including a sack. He played 23 snaps against the Jets, before he was replaced by third-year linebacker Dorian Williams.
Lysowski added that Milano’s timeline to return will depend on whether he suffered a full tear of the muscle or a strain — which could make the different between a Week 4 return or being out for several more weeks.
“He’s one of our better players, so we’ll see where it goes,” McDermott said. “I feel bad for him. He works extremely hard. You guys know him — he’s here quite a bit, and he puts a lot of time into it. It means a lot to him.”
Bills Suffer More Injury Losses
Oliver’s absence for Thursday’s game came as less of a surprise than Milano. The veteran defensive tackle was spotted wearing a walking boot last week after a teammate stepped on him at practice and ruled out early for the game against the Jets. The Bills have not said when he could return, but the team opted not to put him on injured reserve, which means he should return in less than four weeks.
The Bills also ruled out nickel cornerback Taron Johnson for last week’s game, though he said he feels good to go for Thursday’s game. Johnson told reporters this week that he agreed with the team’s decision to take a cautious approach and keep him on the sidelines last week.
“You’re around that environment you definitely want to be out there with your guys, but it seemed like the smartest thing to do,” Johnson said, via SI.com. “I feel like it worked out in the best way possible. We got the win, and I feel good.”
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