The Green Bay Packers suddenly find themselves looking for answers at linebacker after Edgerrin Cooper went down with a season-ending torn Achilles. They can try to patch the spot from inside the building, but there’s also a veteran sitting in free agency who makes a lot of sense: Matt Milano.
Milano brings the kind of experience that can calm a shaky situation fast, and his background with Packers assistant Bobby Babich only strengthens the case. Wendell Ferreira of A to Z Sports reported that Milano could be ready to slide into a starting role right away if Green Bay decides to make the move.
“Milano played under Bobby Babich (now the Packers’ passing game coordinator) in Buffalo and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2022,” wrote the NFL insider.
The fit is not hard to see. Cooper’s responsibilities line up well with what Milano has done for much of his career, especially at WILL and as a pass rusher. That kind of role would let him walk into something familiar instead of being asked to reinvent himself.
“Milano has shown signs of regression for two years, but even after his prime he’s been a good blitzer and viable run defender.”
Milano’s path to this point started in Buffalo, where the Bills took him 163rd overall in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He earned five starts as a rookie, then moved into a larger role with 13 starts in 2018 and 15 more in 2019. Buffalo rewarded that rise with a contract extension after the season.
An injury in 2020 slowed him down and kept him to five starts, but he bounced back over the next two years. Milano started 31 games for the Bills in 2021 and 2022, a stretch that brought Pro Bowl honors and second team All Pro recognition, along with another contract extension from Buffalo.
There’s also a coaching connection that could make the transition smoother. Babich spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons as Buffalo’s linebackers coach before becoming the Bills’ defensive coordinator in 2024 and 2025, so he already knows what Milano can do. The veteran may not have the same burst he once had, but in a defense that plays to his strengths, that issue might be easier to manage.
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