The Buffalo Bills had a quiet trade deadline, not making any moves despite some needs both on offense and defense.
The team instead made an addition shortly afterward, bringing back a familiar face to help fill a void on the defensive line. The Bills lost two key linemen in consecutive weeks, leading them to bring back a player who spent parts of three seasons in Buffalo.
Bills Add Trusted Depth to the Practice Squad
Shortly after the trade deadline passed, reports emerged that the Bills held workouts with several players including a trio of former Bills players — Casey Toohill, Te’Cory Couch, and Kinglsey Jonathan. The Bills announced on Wednesday that they signed Jonathan and Couch to the practice squad.
Jonathan is a familiar face in Buffalo, joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He appeared in 21 games for the Bills over that time, making 10 total sacks and three quarterback hits. The Bills kept Jonathan on the practice squad for much of his tenure, with his most extensive time coming in 2023 when Von Miller was returning from a torn ACL.
Both Jonathan and Couch will provide some depth at key positions hit by injuries. The Bills lost defensive tackle Ed Oliver two weeks ago and saw edge rusher Michael Hoecht go down with a torn Achilles in Sunday’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Michael Hoecht’s Injury a Big Loss
Though Oliver has a chance to return to the Bills in the playoffs, Hoecht is expected to miss close to a year as he rehabs a torn Achilles. That is a tough loss for the Bills, who waited while Hoecht served a six-game suspension to start the season after violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Hoecht was a standout performer in his two games before suffering an injury, leading the Bills to a blowout win over the Carolina Panthers and hounding Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Sunday’s win.
After announcing that Hoecht was headed to injured reserve, Bills head coach Sean McDermott said it would be a significant loss for the team.
“He’s looked forward to these moments because he was out earlier in the year with his suspension,” McDermott said. “To get off to such a fiery start and impact the team in such an influential way in such a short amount of time, when you go through a situation like that it’s a natural disappointment. It’s a shame, it really isâ¦He is as tough as they come and it’s important that we support him all the way through this.”
Many expected the Bills to seek help for their edge rushing group at the trade deadline, but general manager Brandon Beane said it was difficult to find a partner willing to send help to the Super Bowl contenders.
â99% of the players are available for a price but you also have to understand we have a salary cap and we have to hit on these picks so my job is to not be reckless with this role,” Beane said, via WGRZ in Buffalo. “It’s not fantasy football.”
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