Michael Hoecht made the transition from defensive tackle to edge rusher in 2022, helping provide some depth at outside linebacker for the Rams. Since making that switch midway through the season, Hoecht has remained an edge rusher for Los Angeles, starting all 17 games opposite Byron Young last season.
There’s no doubt Hoecht has some pass-rush ability, but the way the Rams used him in 2023 was frustrating, to say the least. Far too often, former defensive coordinator Raheem Morris had Hoecht drop into coverage and even line up across from the opponent’s slot receiver.
Being a former defensive tackle, Hoecht is listed at 310 pounds, and while he probably isn’t playing at that weight anymore, he’s still a big defender who lacks speed. This stat shared by Aaron Schatz is particularly maddening when it comes to Hoecht’s usage.
He led all edge rushers with 25 coverage targets, nine more than any other edge defender in the NFL. And as Schatz notes, Hoecht is over 300 pounds, which makes you wonder why the Rams dropped him into coverage so often.
Putting together tables for FTN Almanac 2024 and Michael Hoecht led all edge rushers with 25 coverage targets. (Harold Landry was second at 16.)
The man weighs over 300 pounds. He is not a coverage linebacker! Why are you doing my Brown man dirty, Rams? #evertrue
— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@ASchatzNFL) April 10, 2024
Pro Football Focus’ numbers might be even more baffling. Hoecht played 1,016 total snaps last season and 256 of those were in coverage. No other edge defender in the NFL had more than 147 coverage snaps last year, with Andrew Van Ginkel ranking second (147 coverage snaps). Byron Young was third (132 snaps), for comparison, so slightly more than half of Hoecht’s coverage snaps.
According to PFF, Hoecht was targeted 43 times, 25 times more than any other edge rusher, and he allowed 35 receptions, 18 more than anyone else at his position.
Needless to say, the Rams need to adjust how they deploy Hoecht because dropping into coverage isn’t a strength of his. He had a 66.8 pass-rush grade with 43 total pressures, and a 38.7 coverage grade with 35 receptions allowed.
