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Bills receive major injury update after key piece reveals bold timeline for return to Buffalo roster

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Adam Zientek | Last updated Feb 23, 2026 12:34 PM ET

The Buffalo Bills battled their fair share of injuries in the 2025 season. From defensive tackle Ed Oliver being lost for most of the season to players like rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston missing substantial time, it was ugly in Buffalo on the injury front.

One of the biggest names that went down with an injury was that of defensive end Michael Hoecht.

Hoecht was playing exceptionally after just one game in Buffalo. The talented pass rusher had been serving a six-game suspension due to PEDs and had his first appearance in a Bills uniform in the team's win over the Carolina Panthers. He recorded one and a half sacks and forced a fumble.

He carried that through the Chiefs' game, where he had another sack before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. Even though those types of injuries can often stretch well beyond a 12-month recovery window, Hoecht believes it will be much shorter than that.

While appearing on the Centered on Buffalo podcast, Hoecht said that he could follow in a former teammate's footsteps and return this summer. Specifically, Hoecht was asked about whether or not he would be able to return when Week 1 rolls around.

Good news on Bills DL Michael Hoecht, who said he expects to be ready for Week 1 on @thebuffalopod .. Interested to see how he looks in Jim Leonhard’s defense pic.twitter.com/WzsTXHWGmL
— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) February 20, 2026

"Yeah, that's very much my expectation, I think that's everybody else's expectations," Hoecht said. "Timelines for Achilles, they can be as short as — I remember (Seattle Seahawks RB) Cam Akers, teammate of mine with the Rams, he did his in five months."

Michael Hoecht should be back in time for training camp after suffering an Achilles injury

The talented pass rusher looks ready to go when training camp rolls around.

"It used to take maybe a year, I don't really see it taking that long," Hoecht said. "But my own personal goal for myself is to be done by July 1 and then hopefully ramp up for camp."

New defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will be chomping at the bit to get him back on the field. He's a versatile player who can line up anywhere along the defensive line. Buffalo got flashes of the type of player he can be, and the fan base and organization should be excited for the future.

If Hoecht is anywhere close to his own July 1 goal, it would feel like a major offseason addition with Buffalo ever having to make a move. For a team that battled injury after injury in 2025, getting a versatile, high-motor pass rusher back at full strength could quietly change the complexion of the defensive front.

Buffalo only got a glimpse of what he can be, but those flashes were loud. If he returns on schedule and builds on that momentum, the Bills won't just be getting a player back; they'll be getting a difference-maker at exactly the right time.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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