Not too long ago, it seemed as if he Broncos and defensive lineman Adam Gotsis would be entering into a multi-year contract. But Gotsis struggled in 2019 after a promising 2018 campaign, and Mike Klis of 9News.com says Denver will let the 2016 second-rounder hit the open market (Twitter link).
Klis also confirmed that the surgery that ended Gotsis’ 2019 season prematurely was to repair Gotsis’ ACL, and that he may miss the first month of the 2020 season. So Gotsis will almost certainly need to settle for a one-year prove-it deal in an effort to rebuild his value, and it does not like such a deal will be coming from the Broncos.
In other Mile High news, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the Broncos will not be bringing back linebacker Corey Nelson. Denver selected Nelson in the seventh round of the 2014 draft, and he entered his second tour of duty with the team when he signed a free agent pact last September. But his season ended after seven games due to a torn bicep.
Similarly, the Broncos are not planning to tender RFA corrner De’Vante Bausby, per Troy Renck of Denver7 (Twitter link). Bausby suffered a frightening neck injury in October that was ultimately diagnosed as a cervical sprain, but he has flashed some ability and is reportedly healthy, so he should find a new home at some point this spring.
Though they are preparing to part with Gotsis, Nelson, and Bausby, the Broncos are interested in bringing back linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu, as Klis notes in a separate tweet. In his first year with Denver in 2019, Attaochu started a career-high five games while recording 3.5 sacks, also a career best. However, it does not sound as though the Broncos will re-sign him prior to the opening of free agency and will instead wait until after the first wave of FAs have signed.