Michael Hoecht is the 2nd-year sleeper for Ram fans to know…

Michael Hoecht is the second-year sleeper for Rams fans to know

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva

As big as the losses of John Johnson and Troy Hill are for the Rams on defense, Morgan Fox’s departure is one that will hurt the third-down pass rush. He was a key player in sub-packages, coming onto the field as a situational pass rusher from the defensive end position where Michael Brockers played.

In only 403 snaps, Fox had six sacks, nine QB hits and eight tackles for loss last season before signing with the Panthers in March. The Rams now need a replacement for Fox, but they could already have him on the roster: Michael Hoecht.

The Rams signed Hoecht as an undrafted free agent last year and stashed him on the practice squad for the entire season. As disappointing as it was for him to not make the active roster, it’s a testament to how the Rams view him that he maintained a spot on the practice squad for all 17 weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs.

Now with a full offseason of work – given last year’s restrictions due to the pandemic – Hoecht is a player for Rams fans to know in 2021. Defensive line trainer Eddy McGilvra works with Hoecht and other Rams during the offseason, and he says people shouldn’t sleep on the second-year player.

“Someone I think a lot of people don’t know of because he was on the practice squad, undrafted, is Mike Hoecht,” McGilvra told Rams Wire via phone recently. “His progression over this last offseason has been tremendous. He’s moving 10 times better than I’ve seen him move. His pass-rush toolbox has grown. He’s added a lot of stuff. He’s so powerful but has added a lot of finesse moves to his game now, which is going to help him combine that power into finesse-type chops and clubs and swipes. It’s hard to fill the shoes of Morgan Fox, because Fox was so valuable in that sense and so good at what he did, but you can see Hoecht kind of playing that role. He’s going to be playing over the inside of the tackle, shade the guard type of stuff.”

Hoecht is listed at 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds on the Rams’ roster, which is slightly bigger and heavier than Morgan Fox, who’s 6-3 and about 260. But if Hoecht improved his quickness and movement skills, his bigger stature shouldn’t limit him as a situational pass rusher.

He’ll have some stiff competition in training camp from the likes of Bobby Brown III, Earnest Brown IV, Eric Banks and Jonah Williams, among others, but Hoecht has as good a chance as any of those players to make the 53-man roster.

Keep an eye on him during camp and listen to what the Rams’ coaches have to say because he’s a sleeper along the defensive line.