ENGLEWOOD — Adam Gotsis added several arm tattoos this offseason, creating a decorative sleeve with meaning. Now the question remains: Can he leave an indelible mark on the Broncos defense?
If the final seven games of last season can be trusted, Gotsis appears ready to paint himself as a playmaker. The former second-round pick netted 23 of his 38 tackles and all of his three sacks over the final seven games after a humbling assessment during the bye week.
“I was leaving too many plays on the field. I told myself I had to really step it up and it kind of started happening for me,” said Gotsis, who posted six tackles and a sack against Cleveland in his best performance. “It was just a credit to all the other guys.”
While Gotsis moved forward, the Broncos continued their Tour de France on the stationary bike. They pedaled fast, but went nowhere, absent from the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
“No one wants a fourth,” said Gotsis, a free agent at season’s end whose preference is to stay in Denver.
Enter Vic Fangio, the Broncos third coach in four seasons. He brings a disciplined approach and sharp defensive acumen. The players see and feel the difference.
“I think his scheme is a good fit for a lot of us. We are going to be playing a lot of sub (packages), letting us generate a little more pass rush from the inside,” Gotsis said. “It’s a good fit because we are more versatile inside with guys who can play all three positions.”
When the weather cooperated – there were few days of sunshine before the latest snow blast – the Broncos practiced outside, allowing Gotsis to go with short sleeves. It exposed new artwork on his arm. He explained the tattoos to Denver7.
“Just a lot of stuff to represent my family. The roses represent my sisters and mum; the creation of Adam tattoo is actually for me and my brother; the Roman numerals are for both my grandpas and the doves are my grandmas, the eye is a protection eye in the Greek culture,” Gotsis said. “And I’m going to finish the sleeve this summer with something for my dad.”
