Paton: Broncos to tender RB Lindsay

The door for Phillip Lindsay’s return to the Broncos remains open, with the team deciding to place a tender on the four th-year running back.

What’s to be determined is whether that tender is at Lindsay’s original (undrafted) round, which would pay him $2.13 million, or a second-round tender, which would pay Lindsay $3.38 million. An original tender wouldn’t guarantee Lindsay’s return as there’s no compensation at that level, while a second-round tender requires the new team to relinquish that draft selection if the old team doesn’t match the player’s of fer.

“We’re still working through (the details) with Phillip,” GM George Paton said Thursday. “He’s a good player who’s ver y passionate, and obviously he had some injuries last year. But he brings energy and he brings juice.”

Should the Broncos offer Lindsay a second-round tender, his return is likely, considering any other team who wanted to sign the running back would have to offer up both a strong deal and be willing to compensate Denver with a second-round pick.

And, if Lindsay is offered an original tender, he could then test the market to tr y and get a multi-year deal elsewhere. Maybe he finds it, but if he doesn’t, he can always re-sign with the Broncos on a one-year tender and re-test free agency in 2022.

The restricted free agent and homegrown product out of Denver South High and CU originally signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

Lindsay, 26, hit the ground running in Denver, becoming the first undrafted player in NFL histor y to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons to star t his career.

But last year was a struggle, as Lindsay only rushed for 502 yards while dealing with injuries to his toe and knee.

Bringing Lindsay back would ser ve as additional depth at the position for Denver, as fellow running back Melvin Gordon might be facing a three-game suspension from his arrest for DUI on Oct. 13 in downtown Denver.

Gordon, who led Denver with 986 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs last season, has pleaded not guilty and his next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24.