Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa (97) takes the field before the game against the New England Patriots Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Bills' breakout player could help prevent another free-agent letdown

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Colin Richey | Last updated Oct 28, 2025 2:41 PM ET

Michael Hoecht made his Buffalo Bills debut on Sunday, and he wasted no time showing why Brandon Beane pursued him in the offseason.

The former LA Ram finished the game with 1.5 sacks, three total tackles, a forced fumble, and -9.78 total EPA (third best among defenders in Week 8). He played 66% of defensive snaps, more than any other defensive end.

With Hoecht being on the field for 40 snaps on Sunday, it allowed Greg Rousseau, AJ Epenesa, and Joey Bosa to receive more plays off. This is extremely important for Bosa especially, given his significant injury history. The Bills need their $12.6 million investment available in January, something they were not able to achieve with their last marquee pass rush addition.

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Von Miller tore his ACL in Week 12 of 2022, after producing eight sacks in his first 11 games as a Bill. The future Hall of Famer never looked the same post-injury, making the investment a wasted opportunity for the Bills looking for answers on the defensive line in the midst of their Super Bowl window.

The addition of Hoecht to the lineup, paired with his early signs of being a significant contributor, bode well for Bosa, who played just 44% of snaps on Sunday, his lowest percentage this season. If the Bills don't need to rely on him to play more than half the snaps each week, it increases the likelihood of the veteran staying healthy for the playoffs.

Defensive Coordinator Bobby Babich has already noted that Bosa's snap counts need to be managed, explaining that "we need to get that down, and we will get that down," following the veteran seeing 87% of snaps against the Miami Dolphins in Week 3.

As the season progresses, look for Hoecht continuing to make the most of his opportunities, and allowing Bosa to stay fresh for obvious pass rush situations in the short term, and the playoffs in the long term.