<p>BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills re-signed linebacker Matt Milano to a four-year contract on Thursday, less than a week before the starter was eligible to become a free agent.</p>
<p>The signing comes a day after the Bills freed up more than $14.4 million in space under the salary cap by releasing receiver John Brown and defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson.</p>
<p>Milano had been preparing to test free agency, which opens Wednesday, after believing the Bills wouldn’t be able to match the offers he anticipated attracting on the open market.</p>
<p>Bills general manager Brandon Beane in January even raised the prospect of not being able to afford re-signing Milano by saying: “He’s earned this right and we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”</p>
<p>The 26-year-old Milano has been a starter since the second half of his rookie season in 2017. Drafted in the fifth round out of Boston College, he has developed into a key contributor when healthy. Milano’s versatility at the outside linebacker position to defend against the run and pass made him a valuable three-down player in Buffalo’s defensive system.</p>
<p>An assortment of injuries limited him to appearing in just 11 regular-season games and six starts this past year in which Milano still posted career-bests with 3 1/2 sacks and nine quarterback pressures. Including playoffs, the Bills had a 12-1 record with Milano in the lineup last season. </p>
<p>Buffalo finished 13-3 and then followed by making its deepest playoff run in 27 years by reaching the AFC championship game, which it lost to Kansas City.</p>
<p>In 2018, he was the NFL’s only player with at least 75 tackles, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Overall, Milano has five interceptions, five fumble recoveries and a forced fumble in 55 career games, including 39 starts.</p>
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