INDIANAPOLIS — Cheers, mate.
In an expected move, the Broncos are saying goodbye to defensive lineman Adam Gotsis, their 2016 second-round draft pick who ended his up-and-down four-year term in Denver with ACL surgery that could cost him the start of the upcoming season.
A free agent, Gotsis received communication from the team here Wednesday during the NFL Combine there would be no offer before he hits the market on March 18.
The Broncos took a chance on the raw, Australian born and raised defensive lineman even though he suffered a torn left ACL in his senior year at Georgia Tech. He played sparingly as a rookie, albeit in all 16 games, for the Broncos as he recovered from his knee surgery in 2016, had arthroscopic knee surgery in June of 2017, then became a starter that season and in 2018, his best season.
Gotsis started three of the first four games in 2019 but was a healthy scratch the next four games as he didn’t seem to fit the scheme of first-year head coach Vic Fangio.
Gotsis, 27, tore his left ACL for a second time with two weeks left in the season. Multiple teams have checked in on Gotsis, according to a source, although business may be slow as it wouldn’t be a surprise if he misses the first month of the season.
He had 109 tackles and 5.0 sacks – 3.0 in 2018 – in his four seasons with the Broncos.
The Broncos may be overhauling their entire season-opening defensive line from last season as Derek Wolfe and Shelby Harris are also free agents. They join a vast pool of defensive linemen that Broncos general manager John Elway has called the deepest position in free agency.
