The first move the Buffalo Bills made this offseason to improve a 19th-ranked pass rush last season wasn't to sign a high-priced free agent with All-Pros and Pro Bowls to his name.
That came later.
No, the first move Buffalo made to improve their rush came at the expense of the Los Angeles Rams when they agreed to a contract with Michael Hoecht. The 27-year-old veteran signed a three-year deal worth over $24 million to play in Buffalo.
Speaking on the Cover 1 Film Room podcast, Hoecht explained the rationale behind playing for the Bills, and why he is in the perfect spot to enhance his career.
And spoiler alert - having an MVP quarterback certainly helps.
"Josh is going to throw up a ton of points so we're going to be awesome. As a defense, I think the Bills are making really, really good moves on the defensive side of the ball and the offensive side of the ball," Hoecht said. "It's going to be a fun team. I cannot wait. I'm sitting on vacation and like get me back to work. I need to be there. I might be the first person ever to be sitting in Maui and like 'Get me to Buffalo. I have to go right now. It's March. Get me to Buffalo."
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Of all the available veterans on the open market, few were as versatile as Hoecht. At 6-4 and over 300 pounds, Hoecht has the ability to play as both a defensive tackle and edge defender. It's one of the reasons why he was so underrated in Los Angeles.
In his four seasons with the Rams, he racked up 180 tackles, 26 quarterback hits, 15 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks four pass deflections and two forced fumbles.
Hoecht is ready to go with his new team. With Joey Bosa having been added, it's clear that the Bills are going to use Hoecht even more than he was used before.
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This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 3:47 PM.