Bjoern Werner arrived in Indianapolis as a giddy German, flashing the enthusiastic smile of a man not just realizing his NFL dream but getting the chance to line up next to one of the pass rushers he had always idolized, Robert Mathis.
A first-round selection with the 24th overall pick in 2013, Werner was accustomed to playing with his hand on the ground as a 4-3 defensive end at Florida State. But the Colts asked him to stand up and play a 3-4 outside linebacker — and it just never worked.
The Colts cut Werner Tuesday, just before the start of free agency, after he managed 6.