The newcomer has a completely different athletic profile from every other Bills defensive end
The Buffalo Bills have revamped their defensive line this offseason. General manager Brandon Beane has added to both the interior line and the edges through both free agency and the NFL Draft. Beane seemingly does this every offseason, as he and the Bills are in constant pursuit of a group that can pressure opposing quarterbacks without needing to blitz.
Will this be the defensive line group that finally helps the Bills ascend to heights never before achieved by the franchise? Will it be one of the new additions making plays, or will those new additions help to free up space for some returning players to do more with the talent they have?
In today’s installment of our “90 players in 90 days” series, we discuss a free-agent addition who has the chance to contribute at multiple spots on the line — but we’ll have to wait to see him play in games that count.
Name: Michael Hoecht
Number: 55
Position: DE
Height/Weight: 6’4”, 310 pounds
Age: 27 (28 on 10/5/2025)
Experience/Draft: 5; signed with Los Angeles Rams following the 2020 NFL Draft
College: Brown
Acquired: Signed with Bills on 3/14/2025
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Hoecht’s three-year contract is worth $21 million in total. For the 2025 season, he carries a cap hit of $4.488 million. If the Bills were to release him prior to Week 1, they would carry a dead-cap charge of $13.43 million.
2024 Recap: Hoecht played in every game for the Rams last season, something he’s done each year of his professional career. While he started all 17 games in 2023, he started just five games during the 2024 season. He totaled 56 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, two pass breakups, and six quarterback hits on the year.
In two playoff games, Hoecht had seven tackles, two quarterback hits, and half a sack. He played mostly as a stand-up outside linebacker with the Rams.
Positional outlook: Hoecht is one of eight defensive ends on the current roster. Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, Javon Solomon, Landon Jackson, Paris Shand, Hayden Hurst, and Joey Bosa are the others.
2025 Offseason: Hoecht is healthy and participating in training camp so far. Multiple reports indicate that he’s been a consistent presence in the offensive backfield so far.
2025 Season outlook: Hoecht is suspended for the first six games of the season thanks to a positive test for PEDs and a subsequent suspension. The three-year commitment, including plenty of guaranteed money, shows that the Bills are prepared to wait for him to return. When he does, he’ll likely be a big part of the defensive line rotation in multiple spots.
He’ll not only play on the edge on early downs, but I imagine that he’ll kick inside for third downs or fourth-down plays where a pass is likely. In addition to his usage as a rush linebacker with the Rams, he also played some defensive tackle, so it’s not going to be a new experience if he does it.
Hoecht is a high-motor player with long arms and a solid variety of pass-rush moves. He can hold the edge and defend the run, he can track down opposing quarterbacks, and he can bat passes at the line.
He’s a strong addition to a defensive line that needs to be better than it was last season. While it’s a shame that the Bills have to wait for Hoecht to start contributing in games that count, once he does, I anticipate him being a big part of the defense this season.