Buffalo Bills first-year players begin rookie minicamp today at One Bills Drive. Now that several of the rookies are making their first visit to Orchard Park, they are signing their first NFL contracts. The first two to sign their names were linebackers Matt Milano and Tanner Vallejo.
With uncertainty at the linebacker position, the duo has an opportunity to see real playing time in their rookie seasons in addition to lots of special teams work.
“Milano is a six-foot, 223-pound linebacker who fits into the weakside / nickel linebacker role that the Bills were lacking on their roster,” wrote Dan Lavoie in April. “Milano is a good athlete who ran a 4.67 forty-yard dash at the Combine and had a 35-inch vertical jump. He moves around the field with nice range, and was asked to handle man coverage against tight ends. He also plays the ball on passes, something not many college linebackers have practiced.”
“At 6’1”, 228 pounds, Vallejo is a nickel linebacker prospect similar to Buffalo’s fifth-round pick Matt Milano,” Lavoie noted of the final Bills pick in the draft. “An above average athlete in all respects, Vallejo can be trusted to track players to the sidelines.”