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Matt Milano could be a fit for the Texans.
The Green Bay Packers are thin at linebacker after losing Edgerrin Cooper for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles. While the team might look in-house for his replacement, one free agent who could immediately come in and replace Cooper is Matt Milano.
The 2022 first-team All-Pro has a connection to the Packers coaching staff and could start immediately, per Wendell Ferreira of A to Z Sports.
“Milano played under Bobby Babich (now the Packers’ passing game coordinator) in Buffalo and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2022,” wrote Ferreira. “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 blitzing and playing the WILL in his career makes him a strong fit to replace Cooper, who had the same role in the Packers’ defense.
Green Bay Packers Could Sign Free Agent LB Matt Milano
GettyBuffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano.
Milano was drafted in the fifth round and was the 163rd overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He started in just five games as a rookie, but became an every-down starter from that point forward. Milano started 13 games in 2018 and 15 games in 2019. The Bills gave him an extension after the season.
An injury derailed his 2020 season, and he started in just five games. In 2021 and 2022, he started 31 games combined, made a Pro Bowl and was second-team All-Pro. He helped justify the extension.
Unfortunately, he has not been quite the same since then. He played five games in 2023 and four in 2024. He did suit up for 12 games last year, but was not quite the same player. Milano has made $61M over his nine-year NFL career.
Bobby Babich was the Bills’ linebacker coach from 2022-23. He was the Bills’ defensive coordinator from 2024-25. He knows Milano well.
Milano might be a step slow, but this defense could help with that.
Packers Have a Hole at Linebacker
The team already called up Kristian Welch from their practice squad to replace Cooper. Welch will likely come up and take on a special teams role. Then, Isaiah McDuffie, who was a special teams ace, will now be asked to start.
The good news for Green Bay is that McDuffie has plenty of starting experience in Green Bay. He is in his sixth NFL season and has 38 career starts. He started eight games in 2023 and 17 games in 2024. Last year, he had 12 starts for Green Bay.
Over his career, the former sixth-round pick in 2012 has 2,049 snaps on defense. He played 728 snaps in 2024 and played 551 snaps last season. So far this season, he has just 43 defensive snaps. He is currently signed to a one-year, $4.8M deal. This is the last year of his deal.
Green Bay also has Ty’Ron Hopper and Nick Niemann on their roster. Hopper is a former draft pick and Niemann is a special teams option. If McDuffie struggles, they might lean on Hopper before calling Milano.
Parker Hurley Parker Hurley covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also covers the Chicago Bears, and San Francisco 49ers on various outlets. A veteran NFL writer and editor, his work has also appeared at FanSided, Full Press Coverage, Last Word on Sports, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated affiliates.
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