ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills emphasized strengthening their defensive line this offseason, both through the draft and in free agency.
Back in March, however, the team announced two of their free agent additions, defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, will face a six-game suspension to start the 2025 season due to violating the NFL's policy on performance enhancing drugs.
Both said the use was unintentional and took responsibility.
Hoecht and his representation made the Bills aware of the incoming suspension ahead of agreeing to terms on a three-year deal, while Ogunjobi only found out about the positive test after terms had been agreed upon -- his one-year deal was then adjusted before it was signed to reflect the suspension.
With the season rapidly approaching, the Bills' challenge comes in preparing for both Hoecht and Ogunjobi's absences as well as their eventual returns to the roster.
"It's going to be a day-to-day type of deal, managing that because there's probably going to be some bumps and bruises that come up along the way," coach Sean McDermott said. "... The key here is we're going to be challenged depth-wise early in the season because of that at this point alone and we got to get our young guys ready to go and we got to get them settled in as quickly as possible."
Ahead of the cutdown day on Tuesday, a look at where things stand, what awaits and the learnings.
Need to know for the Bills roster
Both Hoecht and Ogunjobi have fully participated and been with the team during the offseason and will be present through the conclusion of camp on Tuesday. They will then have to stay away from the team for the first four weeks of the season and can return to the facility the following two weeks. They still cannot practice with the rest of the squad. The two linemen can return to the field after six weeks, however, Week 7 is the Bills' bye week, so they'll have to wait an extra week to return to the field.
"Annoyed. It sucks," Hoecht said on the bye timing. "I'm chomping at the bit, and in general, no matter what, you want your bye week as late in the season as possible cause hopefully we're playing deep in the playoffs. That's the goal. No, but it's fine. I mean, again, can't control that."
They will miss games vs. the Baltimore Ravens, at the New York Jets, vs. the Miami Dolphins, vs. the New Orleans Saints, vs. the New England Patriots and at the Atlanta Falcons. The first games back will be at the Carolina Panthers and vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.
In terms of on-field work, Hoecht, who spent the first four years of his career with the Los Angeles Rams, is in line to get playing time as part of the defensive line rotation and there' have been flashes of creativity when using him. Hoecht, 27, played 36 snaps in the second preseason game, recording a sack.
"[Hoecht's] certainly smart, he cares. He is an energy giver," defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said. "You talk about energy vampires, and then you talk about energy givers, and he is the furthest thing from an energy vampire. He is adding value, specifically to our defense in, I guess you could call it, intangible ways."
Both players played a similar amount in the first preseason game (22 and 21 snaps for Hoecht and Ogunjobi respectively), but Ogunjobi missed the second game with a lingering foot injury from before his time in Buffalo. He has since returned to practice.
Ogunjobi is in doubt for a roster spot based on his playing time during camp, going between the second and third team. The Bills signed the veteran before ending up drafting two defensive tackles who have shown promise in T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker, adding to last year's draft pick DeWayne Carter. The rookie defensive linemen especially have flashed at times during camp and the preseason, but the team will need them to perform early in the season and beyond.
There's a chance to save money if Ogunjobi, 31, is cut, but it will cost the team money that must be accounted for in future years. With the suspension, the Bills can choose to assess what's best for the roster down the road as well.
Both Hoecht and Ogunjboi said that they are not taking their suspensions into account when approaching their daily practices.
The plan for the suspensions
Hoecht is electing to stay in Orchard Park during the suspension, going to a nearby gym to stay in shape and keep his routine.
"You could go to Miami, L.A., Atlanta, there's some of those hubs that guys tend to go to," Hoecht said. "But I wanted to sleep in my own bed, eat my own food, treat it like a job. It's not vacation, it is still a job."
Ogunjobi will split his time between Western New York and Miami, where he normally trains, but plans to stay like Hoecht -- sticking to his schedule and what the Bills plan for them.
"You just do the best you can to try to figure out both what we're gonna do here, and then also what their plan is," Babich said. "So, there's no ill will there. It is what it is. And we gotta adjust like we always do here in Buffalo. And we'll adjust. And we'll do the best we can to have a plan that can maximize not only the Buffalo Bills but can maximize their potential for when they get back."
Ogunjobi said that he feels prepared for the looming stretch and that he's been enjoying his time with the team in the lead up.
"There's a lot of ebbs and flows to football," Ogunjobi said. "...After you've done it for as long as I have, it's a process. You're getting comfortable with your defense, your position. You're trying things. That's what camp is about, trying anything.
Advice for other players
Neither player has avoided taking responsibility for what was put in their bodies.
"I take full accountability," Ogunjobi said. "It was a mistake. It was an accident. And I accept my punishment."
Hoecht said the ordeal is something he will use to motivate him. "It was a mistake. It was careless. It's fully my responsibility. And it's something I'm gonna have to own, something I'm gonna come up on the better side of."
Hoecht has said that his positive test stemmed from building a relationship and trust with a trainer for a few years, who he would purchase "protein, creatine, IVs, multivitamins, all the stuff that athletes normally take," from and had "everything verified by an independent nurse, that everything was what it said it was." Over time, the relationship was one he thought he could trust, which led him to stop being as vigilant in checking the substances and then an extra amount of testosterone was found in his system early in the offseason.
Hoecht has emphasized a desire for other players to learn from his mistakes, noting how the team health staff members are a good resource for players and have plenty of available resources unlike in the past when players had to look outside the building to get resources for maintaining their bodies.
"Maybe 10 or 15 years ago, NFL programs weren't up to speed and didn't have all the resources and it just wasn't out there for them, so guys would go outward to get treatment or a supplement plan, a meal plan, whatever it is," Hoecht said.
"I've just found you don't really need that anymore, and so, if you're a younger player, the easiest way to avoid it -- Stay in house because nobody in the building, those are the people that take good care of you and you just can't control people's incentives, people's motive. You can't control things that are outside of the building."
Ogunjobi said that he consumed a tainted substance due to cross containment of substances made in the same place.
"I don't think anybody has ever tried, at least in my opinion, try to cheat the game," Ogunjobi said. "Sometimes when you're training, when you're grinding, when you're somebody that does take care of your body a bunch, sometimes things happen, so you got to take it. You got to learn from it. You got to be more careful."
