However, their tight setback may provide motivation ahead of what might be an active free agency period. The Broncos have $3 million in cap space as of November 11, according to Over The Cap. However, they are expected to have $56.4 million in 2025.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report proposes targeting EDGE Michael Hoecht next spring.
“The Broncos… need a fourth edge player to go with [Jonathon] Cooper, Nik Bonitto, and Jonah Eliss,” said Ballentine on November 11.
“Los Angeles Rams defender Michael Hoecht is a rare edge defender who would compliment Bonitto and Eliss. At 6’4” and 267 pounds, he’s a significantly bigger player than Bonitto and Eliss, who are both under 250 pounds.
At the November 5 trading deadline, the Denver Broncos traded former third-round pick Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals. Browning finished his Broncos career as a reserve but began the 2024 season as a starter, perhaps generating a need for a successor in free agency.
Hoecht, 27, has a one-year, $2.9 million deal that expires soon and a lifetime earnings of $2.5 million.
He has started 28 of his 59 career games.
Hoecht has 149 total tackles, 13.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in his career. He started three of the Rams’ 17 games during their Super Bowl-winning season in 2021, totaling seven tackles.
Michael Hoecht Could Be Savvy Addition for Broncos in Free Agency.
Hoecht is well-regarded within the Rams’ young linebacker corps, which might influence both sides’ thinking next year.
“The entire room looks up to Hoecht, and the irony of that is not lost on the former undrafted free agent who spent the first couple years of his career in L.A. simply trying not to get cut,” Jordan Rodrigue, an editor at The Athletic, wrote in August.
“Hoecht has learned a lot while playing in a variety of roles in Los Angeles, including special teams, rotational defensive lineman, and outside linebacker. He wants to share his knowledge with the younger players, who question him during meetings and in between snaps.
Hoecht, an undrafted free agent out of Brown in 2020, worked his way up to full-time starter status in 2023. He achieved career highs with 84 total tackles and 6.0 sacks that year.
He has back to a reserve role in 2024, however he has 3.0 sacks in eight games.
Hoecht is versatile. Throughout his career, he has played all over the Rams’ front seven. Despite Hoecht’s possible inexpensive pricing in free agency, the Broncos already have three pass rushers.
Broncos three-deep at edge rusher.
According to Pro Football Reference, the Broncos are second in sacks and fourth in blitz rate heading into Monday Night Football in Week 10.
Bonitto is ninth in the NFL with 7.0 sacks. Cooper ranks 12th with 9.5 sacks.
Denver’s interior linemen include Zach Allen (5.0 sacks) and John Franklin-Myers (5.0 sacks). Elliss leads the depth chart, and he’s off to a terrific start with 2.0 sacks. The Broncos also signed Dondrea Tillman, a former USFL star who has 2.0 sacks this season.
Linebacker Justin Strnad has 3.0 sacks, and five other Broncos players have at least 0.5 sacks this season.
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