Broncos showed Lindsay respect with the original-round tender

One of the interesting discussions on Broncos Country Tonight Tuesday was over Phillip Lindsay and the Broncos placing an original round tender on the Colorado native running back.

For some background, Benjamin Allbright had been asking guests in recent weeks (prior to the deadline for placing tenders on players) whether giving Lindsay a second-round tender - and therefore likely keeping him in Denver because not a lot of teams would want to give up a second-round pick for an undrafted running back - or giving him the original round tag so he had a chance to get paid.

When he first posed the choice to Steve Atwater a few weeks ago - and Atwater had to choose whether to keep Lindsay or “do right by the player” - the Broncos’ Ring of Famer definitely wanted to keep No. 30 on the home team. Because of course we all do.

But I remember thinking that it was an interesting choice.

Lindsay has been amazing. We’ve all seen him will his way past blockers and turn nothing into something hundreds of times. We’ve also watched him flounder in a scheme that doesn’t play to his talents and requires things of him that he’s just not built for as a small but slippery running back.

So while some local reporters complained about the tender, I fall on the other side with Allbright.

I would love to have Lindsay stay here. But more importantly, I’d love to have one of Colorado’s own thrive as an NFL player and get the money he deserves. As an undrafted player, he has exceeded expectations and I appreciate George Paton “doing right by the player” here and giving the Pitbull an opportunity he’s probably not going to get in this offense.

Although Allbright showed his bias by comparing a second-round tender on Lindsay to “holding the player hostage,” Atwater believes it depends on whether the player really wants to stay with a team or whether he’s “ready to roll.”

In Lindsay’s case, Atwater agrees it’s a shame to lose a guy who grew up a Broncos fan and loves the franchise, but also important to put players in their best situation.

“I’m disappointed and shed a tear. Phillip Lindsay has the heart, loves the Broncos, grew up a Broncos fan,” he said. “But it just didn’t seem like he’s a fit for the offense they’re trying to run here. They didn’t utilize the things he does well ...the Broncos may have done him a solid by letting him go.”