Buffalo Bills fans finally got the Michael Hoecht update they’d been waiting for, and it points in the right direction for Week 1.
Brandon Beane told the media that "he believes Michael Hoecht will be ready to go for Week 1."
That’s a welcome development for a player the Bills were clearly excited to add last offseason, when they signed the DE/OLB to a three-year deal away from the Los Angeles Rams. Hoecht was supposed to help the pass rush, but his first six weeks in Buffalo never got off the ground. He was suspended for the opening six games of the season for violating the league’s PED policy, and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was hit with the same punishment.
When Hoecht finally got on the field, he wasted no time making his presence felt. In his Bills debut in Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers, he put up 1.5 sacks and forced a fumble. The energy he brought was exactly what Buffalo had been missing, and it had fans thinking about what he could do alongside Joey Bosa.
Then came the setback. The next week, Hoecht tore his Achilles against the Kansas City Chiefs, ending his season after he had played just one full game. Buffalo felt that loss on the pass rush side of the ball for the rest of the year.
There has been some encouraging movement in his recovery process, though. Earlier this summer, Joe Brady told the media there were times they had to “slow down” Hoecht during mandatory minicamp because he was pushing so hard in his comeback.
If Beane’s latest update holds, Hoecht could be back in the mix right away in a defense that looks built to suit him. Jim Leonhard is installing a 3-4 scheme that is more aggressive and centered on generating steady pressure, and Hoecht already showed he can be disruptive in Sean McDermott’s system.
For now, the key is simply getting through training camp and proving he’s ready to suit up against the Houston Texans in Week 1. Hoecht has already said how much he enjoys being a Buffalo Bill, and even with very little game action, he’s made his mark. Now he gets a clean slate after a year defined by suspension, injury, and a whole lot of waiting.
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