Pros & Cons of Each RFA Tender Broncos Could Use on RB Phillip Lindsay

The Broncos are planning to tender the restricted free-agent Phillip Lindsay but at what level? Second-round tender or original-round? There are pros and cons to each

The Denver Broncos have a decision looming with restricted free-agent running back  Phillip Lindsay. GM George Paton has already stated his intention of tendering Lindsay, but made no mention of which level of tender he will receive.

For Lindsay, it really boils down to giving him either the second-round RFA tender at a cost of $3,384,000 or an original-round tender at $2,133,000. Opting with the original-round tender would save some money for Denver but is that savings worth potentially losing a homegrown, dynamic player like Lindsay? 

Let's examine. 

Argument for a Second-Round Tender

Slapping a second-round tender on Lindsay would almost guarantee he returns for one more season in Denver. In this scenario, another team would have to pay market value for him on top of forfeiting a second-round pick to the Broncos in order to acquire him.

Given the plethora of running backs available in both free agency and the draft, it’s unlikely a team would be willing to give up that much to sign Lindsay away from Denver.

Paton may opt to use this tender to allow him to see one more season of the Pro Bowl running back at a relatively modest price of just over $3M before deciding on a long-term extension.

Argument for an Original-Round Tender

Since Lindsay was signed by the Broncos as an undrafted free agent, tendering him at the original-round level would mean the team would receive no compensation in return if an outside team were to sign Lindsay to an offer sheet that the Broncos chose not to match.

So why would the Broncos want to tender at this level and significantly increase the risk of losing him? Well, there could be a handful of justifications Paton might consider when evaluating this situation. 

Remember, Paton doesn't have any history with or biases towards Lindsay with him being a hometown guy — which is important to consider.

Lindsay's Questionable Fit in Shurmur’s Offense 

There was plenty of optimism heading into the 2020 season with a pairing of Lindsay and Melvin Gordon in the backfield. But the season often saw Lindsay being used in ways that did not fit his skill-set. 

His pass blocking often kept him off the field. Does it make sense to keep forcing a square peg into a round hole?

Statistical Regression 

Lindsay went from averaging 5.4 yards-per-carry his rookie year to 4.5 in 2019, to 4.3 last season. He has also regressed in the total yards and touchdown department in each of those seasons. 

In 2020, Lindsay recorded just seven receptions on 14 targets in his 11 games.

Is There Better Value in the Draft?

Paton may decide the Broncos would be better off spending an early pick on a running back that fits the offense better, while also giving the team a cost-controlled player for another four years. Denver has been linked to drafting Alabama RB Najee Harris in recent weeks. 

Keeping Lindsay just one more season would have both him and Gordon hitting unrestricted free agency next year. Adding a rookie back this year could be a prudent move to preempt that dilemma.

There are other concerns as well. Do you want to spend around $15M for the same running back group as last year? Are there health and durability concerns with Lindsay?

Bottom Line

With the NFL's legal tampering window opening on Monday, March 15, followed by the new league year beginning on Wednesday, we will soon find out what round tender Lindsay ends up getting. 

The smart money should be on the second-round level, as it would almost certainly guarantee the 'Colorado Kid' stays in Denver one more season. And you’d hope that Shurmur can find a way to better utilize his talents if given another year and a more traditional offseason.

But there is a line of thinking as to why the original-round tender could be used. You just have to wonder whether Paton is willing to roll the dice to, in the end, save just $1.25M in cap space.

---

Follow Trevor on Twitter: @TrevorJudge.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter: @MileHighHuddle.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!