Former Pittsburgh Steelers DL Larry Ogunjobi is being suspended six games for violating the league’s PED (performance enhancing drug) policy, per Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane via Joe Buscaglia on X.
The Steelers released Ogunjobi Monday as a cap casualty and he quickly found a new home with the Bills on Wednesday. He signed a one-year deal, $8.3 million deal with incentives that can get him up to $10 million. He cashed in on the hot DL market.
The Bills were aware of DE Michael Hoecht’s looming suspension for the same violation, but not Ogunjobi’s before they agreed to terms with the eighth-year veteran. Because the DL market moved so quickly and the Bills had a need, they decided to still honor Ogunjobi’s contract, which still hasn’t been signed.
“Beane makes it clear that if they knew about Ogunjobi’s suspension in advance of agreeing to terms, they wouldn’t have gone with two players facing six-game suspensions,” ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg relayed from the Beane press conference via X.
The Steelers saved $7 million against the cap by releasing Ogunjobi. Had they kept him, it would have been their issue to deal with. Because he was released by the Steelers, this situation is a non-factor when it comes to 2026 compensatory draft pick calculations.
Ogunjobi signed a one-year deal with the Steelers ahead of the 2022 season, and the team signed him to a lucrative three-year deal the following offseason. He never quite lived up to the price tag due in part to multiple nagging injuries.
The NFL’s PED policy covers a wide range of substances, including some that could be used to expedite the healing process. There are no details available about what substances led to Ogunjobi’s suspension.
The Bills will be without Larry Ogunjobi until at least Week 7, and possibly Week 8 depending on where their bye week falls.
