Broncos: Top 11 takeaways from George Paton’s pre-free agency presser

9. Top restricted free agents will be tendered, but how high?

George Paton confirmed in his pre-free agency press conference that all of the team’s top three restricted free agents will be given tenders by the Broncos.

But how high?

Paton could not (or would not) confirm that.

The Broncos’ decisions to re-sign their top restricted free agents to second-round tenders seem like a no-brainer when it comes to the business end of the decisions. If they do not give Phillip Lindsay, Tim Patrick, and Alexander Johnson second-round tenders, the best they can get is first right of refusal.

Is it worth about a million bucks to gamble that one of those guys could get away?

That’s what we’re talking about here.

The only player the Broncos may consider giving the original round or first-right-of-refusal tender to is probably Phillip Lindsay. Lindsay is the Colorado Kid and one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL, but does the team view him as a great fit in the Pat Shurmur offense?

It would be a shame if they decided he wasn’t, but it’s possible. Lindsay has expressed that he wasn’t overly pleased with his role last year, but it would be in the team’s best interests to try and figure that out.

Wouldn’t it?

One way or another, the Broncos are going to give themselves at least the chance to match any contract Lindsay or Patrick or Johnson are offered.