Two of the Buffalo Bills’ recent free agent signings, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and defensive end Michael Hoecht, face six-game suspensions for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
The news came down Friday, the same day that the Bills introduced both players to the local media.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane said the team was aware of Hoecht’s positive test before signing him, but not Ogunjobi’s. The team still plans to honor the signing.
“It’s not ideal to have two guys with that, but both guys have never had any issues off the field,” Beane said. “It’s a tough lesson of where do you get your supplements or whatever happened.”
Ogunjobi said he believes his positive test came from a tainted supplement he took, saying he accepts the punishment. The NFL has not technically been notified of the positive test yet because his second sample has not yet come back.
“I think the best thing was to just be honest,” Ogunjobi said of informing the Bills about his test. “… The organization handled it masterfully. They welcomed me with open arms. They understood the situation. They’ve treated me with nothing but open arms and class.”
Beane told reporters that once the Bills learned of Ogunjobi’s positive test, other free agents at his position had signed with other teams. The GM said the team would not have taken on two free agents on the D-line if it had known both would begin the season suspended.
Hoecht said he was also guilty of not checking a substance his trainer had given him.
“It was a mistake,” Hoecht said. “It was careless. It’s fully my responsibility. And it’s something I’m gonna have to own, something I’m going to come up on the better side of and use it as motivation and as fuel.”
Ogunjobi, 30, spent the first eight years of his career in the AFC North with the Cleveland Browns (2017-20), Cincinnati Bengals (2021) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2022-24). He has 361 career tackles (56 for loss), 27.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 124 games (108 starts).
Hoecht, 27, began his career with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 and played in 68 games (31 starts) in four years with them, amassing 180 tackles (15 for loss), 13.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Ogunjobi and Hoecht will be able to participate in the Bills’ offseason program and will need to leave the team facility for the first four weeks of the regular season. They’re then eligible to return to game action after six games.
–Field Level Media
