[ad_1]
New Denver Broncos general manager George Paton has arrived in Mile High City with a clear goal of rebuilding the team by drafting and developing players. These basic principles, and many more, served him well enough to land him the job to succeed John Elway.
“Drafting and player development will be our foundation,” Paton said at his opening press conference last week. “It will be the cornerstone of this football team.”
Paton’s Clarity is music to the ears of players like free agent security Justin Simmons, who could form the core of talent the GM plans to build around. One player who is much less sure of his position is fan favorite Phillip Lindsay.
Lindsay is entering her fourth season in the NLF after a record-breaking start to her career for an undrafted player, registering consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaigns to open her career. His fairytale story was hit hard by the injury bug in 2020, which saw the talented running back featured in fewer games (11) and racking up far fewer yards (502).
What happens next for the Broncos? Don’t miss any news and analysis! Take a second and Sign up for our free newsletter and get the latest Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!
Lindsay is becoming a restricted free agent this offseason, and Paton will have to consider whether he should bid on the former Colorado Buffalo. Applying the second round tender on the 26-year-old is expected to cost the Broncos $ 3.259 million in 2021, which, on the surface, is more than affordable in terms of the front office. Juxtaposed with Melvin Gordon’s salary cap of $ 8.96 million, that number presented in the second round could become a little more prohibitive.
The plan desired by Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to develop a double-backfield attack didn’t quite work out with Lindsay injured and it could inform Paton’s approach. The first-time GM would be remiss to ignore Lindsay’s intangible attributes, including her intensity and leadership, to say nothing of her popularity within Broncos country, as checks in the ‘for’ column ‘(against against).
“We all believe that in order to recruit and develop talent, you have to bring high-level players into your organization, you develop them and hopefully get them a second contract, and that’s how you build your best culture,” said Paton said.
If culture is everything and production is king, further proof of Lindsay’s worth comes from her 2,550 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns to date. Rewarding the once unwritten Lindsay with a low risk tender would set a positive tone that hard work and persistence can indeed pay off within the Broncos’ culture and organization.
It would also protect the Broncos’ leverage to counter any outside bid. You’d think any GM worth his salt would agree that finding a way to keep your top players is good policy.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.
[ad_2]
Source link