Matt Milano agrees to pay cut, 2025 becomes final year of his deal

[Rocky Landing]

1 hour ago, YoloinOhio said:

He’s a minimalist so this checks out 

I love that part of his story. I remember reading an article on him years back that revealed he barely had any furniture in his apartment, and kept his clothes on a rack that consisted of multiple sets of the same outfit, which IIRC, were gray jeans, and black shirts.

 

And about a year after that, I recall a color commentator during a game making some comment about him "playing for a contract..." and I yelled at the screen, "you have no idea what you're talking about!"  As a player, I don't believe he even keeps track of the score during a game. He plays every play in the moment, whether it's five minutes into the game, or five minutes from its resolution.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Watch he'll play lights out and cost more to resign him now if they wanted

[eball]

1 hour ago, ColoradoBills said:

Bills on Spotrac are $9.7M under the cap with Bosa, Gilliam, Green Jackson, Johnson, Ogunjobi and Shenault still not

accounted for.

 

I still see at least one more restructure needed to get under the cap.  

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/cap/_/year/2025

 

Green Lantern's cousin?

 

[GunnerBill]

3 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

This is great news...frees up cap this year and we are free of the contract next year without a dead cap hit.  Like most have already said, this is probably his swan song as a Bill.  Not out of the question they bring him back next year on a cheap deal, but feels unlikely now with Bernard locked up and Dorian here.  

 

It doesn't get rid of the dead cap hit. The dead cap hit is money we have already paid him. It has to go on the cap somewhere.

[JohnNord]

4 hours ago, Logic said:

 

If you’re Milano why would you take this pay cut?  For a chance to earn more through Free Agency in 26?
 

I get that it makes sense for the team but not the player.  
 

 

[BuffaloBillyG]

1 hour ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Watch he'll play lights out and cost more to resign him now if they wanted

Or...you let him walk into FA. Let some team overpay him and reap a 4th or 5th round comp pick for an aging player. 

 

Hopefully, Williams continues to improve and is a suitable replacement. Or Olufoshnu (SP). 

[Logic]

20 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

If you’re Milano why would you take this pay cut?  For a chance to earn more through Free Agency in 26?
 

I get that it makes sense for the team but not the player.  
 

 

I think @HappyDays explained it pretty well on page three of this thread.

Basically, a team comes to a player and says "hey look, we don't want to cut you but your current cap number is gonna leave us no choice".

Said player probably consults with his agents and, if the consensus is that he'd likely get even less than the revised cap amount on the open market, and/or the player just WANTS to stay on the team (which seems very possible with a guy like Milano), then he takes the paycut because it's still the better option than having to find a new team and potentially getting paid even less.

It's sort of a "bird in the hand" situation. The player isn't doing it out of the goodness of his heart, most likely. He's doing it because it's his best option from a monetary (and maybe also happiness) standpoint. 

At least the team appears to have thrown him a bone and made it so that he can earn back what he gave up via various incentives. Though, in all likelihood, they are mostly of the "unlikely to be earned" variety.

[Buffalo03]

I just hope if he actually stays healthy and Balls out that the Bills do decide to bring him back, though and that this isn't his final year for us regardless 

[HomeTeam]

I love Milano. He seems like a very well adjusted  individual that's content with himself. I admire that. 

 

I hope he has a great year and gets to end his career on his own terms. 

[MarkyMannn]

3 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

His dead cap is from his previous contract's signing and option bonus.  No way out of that.

I just never seen this Vesting Status before.  He will ultimately be a FA next year, not "released".

Spotrac could use a glossary section. Maybe it's there, I've missed it

[Warriorspikes51]

I wonder how asking your own guy to take a pay cut while dishing out $$$ to 2 players out for 1/3 of the season goes over amongst the team 

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, JohnNord said:

If you’re Milano why would you take this pay cut?  For a chance to earn more through Free Agency in 26?
 

I get that it makes sense for the team but not the player.  

 

It does if the option is do this or we have to move on. That cut can be made back in incentives and I'm sure the incentives are probably easily obtained if you can stay on the field.

 

If he were to say no and we cut him, given how the past couple years have gone for him - I'd doing a team would sign him to anything more than a 1 year prove it deal. And almost definitely less in guaranteed money than he'd make here, even with the pay cut.

Edited yesterday at 08:42 PM by BillsFanForever19

[HardyBoy]

I haven't read any of the thread, but this is comp pick wizardry!

 

They weren't gonna cut him though right?! What is the benefit to Millano for doing this?

[billsfan89]

5 hours ago, Taro Nimbus said:

This will likely be the last year we see him in a Bills uniform.  

Likely the case, given the Bills chronic need for depth at LB if he’s not significantly injured this season they could bring him back in a depth/situational role for one more season. 

[BillsFanForever19]

10 minutes ago, HardyBoy said:

I haven't read any of the thread, but this is comp pick wizardry!

 

They weren't gonna cut him though right?! What is the benefit to Millano for doing this?

 

We've spent Draft Picks the past couple seasons on OLB's in Dorian Williams and Edefuan Olofoshio. Yes, there's a good chance if he didn't work with us on his contract that we would have moved on from him.

 

And again, if he were to hit the market right now based on his past couple seasons - it's unlikely he's getting anything more than a prove it deal or the guaranteed money he has on his contract, even after the pay cut. Which he can earn back in incentives that i'd imagine are more playing time based.

 

It's like when Von took the huge cut he did last season. It's because their agents know, if they get cut, they're probably not getting what they'd get staying put with a pay cut.

Edited yesterday at 08:54 PM by BillsFanForever19

[Aussie Joe]

4 hours ago, BuffaloRebound said:

If Milano is taking a paycut, not sure how Knox isn’t next.  $10m is a huge over-pay for Knox’s production.  

The thing is … Knox has already taken a pay cut for 2025 last year when he agreed a restructured deal … would be a something if Beane got him to take another one …probably not happening though 

 

https://www.buffalorumblings.com/2024/3/19/24106173/bills-contract-details-dawson-knox-trades-2024-pay-for-2025-guarantees-in-reworked-deal

Edited yesterday at 09:24 PM by Aussie Joe

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

2 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Or...you let him walk into FA. Let some team overpay him and reap a 4th or 5th round comp pick for an aging player. 

 

Hopefully, Williams continues to improve and is a suitable replacement. Or Olufoshnu (SP). 

 

Milano was 5th round pick I believe, could you get a comp pick for someone drafted that low? 

[bigK14094]

6 hours ago, FireChans said:

Feels like an early retirement announcement. Love Matt but hard to play as physical as he does well into the 30s.

 

Too soon to say…. wall of fame candidate?

LBs sometimes play for 15 years or more, but your  take may be right here.

[Turbo44]

12 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Milano was 5th round pick I believe, could you get a comp pick for someone drafted that low? 

Comp picks are based on the $ amount of the UFA contract signed, not the round the player was originally drafted in

[VW82]

I suspect this will be the last year for Taron as well given the potential out next year. Looking at the End of an era.