Jaguars Re-Sign Adam Gotsis: 3 Immediate Takeaways

As much as things change in the NFL, you still get a healthy dosage of things remaining the same. No team so far has been a better example of this than the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have retained yet another member of the 2020 roster (specifically the defense).

The Jaguars officially re-signed defensive lineman Adam Gotsis on Thursday, bringing back the unrestricted free agent after one solid season in Jacksonville's defensive line rotation. Gotsis played in every game for the Jaguars in 2020, totaling 37 tackles, including four tackles for loss, and three passes defensed.

“Coach Meyer/Cullen/Lupoi, strength & training room staff all have a clear vision and goal. Our mentality is to win by all means necessary. I’m here to get that done," Gotsis said via JaguarReport's Kassidy Hill following the announcement.

What does the move to retain Gotsis mean for the Jaguars in the short- and long-term? We offer our thoughts below.

Re-signing Adam Gotsis is a solid move for a defense that still needs to rebuild its physical identity

All in all, it always made sense for the Jaguars to retain Adam Gotsis, specifically when they hired Joe Cullen. He isn't going to make an impact as a pass-rusher, but he is a physical run defender who made a lot of key stops for an otherwise bad Jaguars run defense in 2020. The Jaguars have had to pour a lot of resources into rebuilding their defensive line since the new regime inherited a unit short on talent on depth, but keeping Gotsis means they at least have added another quality run defender to the rotation.

While Gotsis recorded three quarterback hits and zero sacks, there is no mistaking his impact against the run; Pro Football Focus has him down with the most run stops among the team's defensive linemen in 2020, while only Dawuane Smoot had more tackles for loss than him on the defensive line. He won't make any Pro Bowls as a sub-package defender, but his physical brand of football and consistent play as a run defender earned him a chance under the newest regime.

Things continue to not look great for Taven Bryan

The changing of the guard in terms of defensive philosophies in Jacksonville has never meant good news for former first-round pick Taven Bryan, who ended 2020 as a backup to undrafted rookie Doug Costin. And while he and Gotsis play different roles, the re-signing of Gotsis is another sign of things trending downward for Bryan entering 2021.

Bryan is athletic but he gets washed out too easily against the run to truly fit the Jaguars' new scheme, which asks for its defensive linemen to be capable of eating up blocks and freeing other players up. We have already seen what kind of players the Jaguars have emphasized along the defensive line in free agency, and none quite have skill sets like Bryan's. Re-signing Gotsis means four new defensive linemen have been added this offseason while two more are guaranteed to return in Gotsis and Smoot. Add in DaVon Hamilton and the defensive line room is quickly very, very full. Time is running out for Bryan to take a spot.

Jaguars continue the interesting trend of retaining players from 2020

Gotsis is the latest in a long line of Jaguars to return, joining Dewaune Smoot, Cam Robinson, Tre Herndon, Tyler Shatley, Aldrick Rosas, James O'Shaughnessy, and Sidney Jones. Most of the players the Jaguars have opted to retain have been on the defensive side of the ball, an interesting pattern considering the poor defense the Jaguars trotted on the field last year.

But each of those defensive returns makes sense -- especially Gotsis. Gotsis is a tough and consistent run defender who fits a 3-4. Smoot is one of the team's best interior pass-rushers. Jones was a quality starter when healthy and gives the team depth and flexibility in April. Herndon is arguably the best slot cornerback on the roster. It has been interesting to see which players the Jaguars have returned from the least successful team in franchise history, but none really stand out as head-scratching moves.