Like every team, the Buffalo Bills made a handful of free-agent signings when the league year opened. But unlike most teams, two of the players signed by the Bills will be suspended for the first six games of the 2025 season.
According to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi both received notices that they tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and will be suspended for the first six games of the upcoming season. Both will be able to train with the team through the conclusion of training camp but will then have to be away from the team for four weeks.
Bills team reporter Maddy Glab reported that Bills general manager Brandon Beane and the team were aware of the looming suspension for Hoecht but not for Ogunjobi before signing both players.
Two signings, two suspensions for the Bills in free agency.
Undrafted out of Brown in 2020, Michael Hoecht spent the first four years of his career with the Rams, where he recorded 13.5 sacks and won Super Bowl LVI over the Bengals.
Larry Ogunjobi was a third-round pick by the Browns in 2017. After the expiration of his rookie contract in 2021, he spent a year with the Bengals and the last three seasons with the Steelers. He has 27.5 career sacks and three forced fumbles.
This is one of the more bizarre stories of the offseason. It's not often that a team loses not one but two recently signed players to suspension just days after signing them. Fortunately for Buffalo, they also signed former Charger pass-rusher Joey Bosa to a 1-year contract, and he isn't expected to be suspended as of the writing of this post.
Since the 2025 NFL schedule isn't expected to be released until May, it's unclear which games Hoecht and Ogunjobi will miss. The Bills and Chiefs are set to face off in Orchard Park in the regular season, but it's obviously unknown when that game will be played and if these two pass rushers will be out for it.
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