ENGLEWOOD, Colorado –The Broncos have offered three of their most prominent restricted free agents, the team announced on Tuesday.
Denver made second-round proposals for wide receiver Tim Patrick and linebacker Alexander Johnson and a preemptive right proposal for running back Phillip Lindsay.
Other NFL teams may still offer contracts for these three players, but the Broncos would have a chance to respond to any offer sheet. If Denver chose not to match another team’s offer to Patrick or Johnson, the Broncos would be given a choice in the second round as compensation. The Broncos can also match any offer Lindsay may receive from another team, but Denver would not receive compensation if it chooses not to match that offer. Other teams have until mid-April to extend an offer sheet to any restricted free agent offered throughout the league.
Denver also offered exclusive rights-free agents Diontae Spencer, Trey Marshall and Calvin Anderson.
Denver’s decision to use the bid essentially guarantees that the three players will remain under contract with the Broncos until 2021. Agents free of exclusive rights are not allowed to negotiate with other teams. Spencer, Marshall and Anderson still need to sign the notice to play next season.
Patrick and Johnson held full-time positions for the team in 2020. Patrick joined the Broncos training team in 2017 and has been steadily increasing his role, leading the Broncos with six touchdowns received in 2020. He took 51 passes for 742 yards in 15 games while he surpassed the previous records of his career. Patrick had only 39 total receptions and 533 total reception yards in his career before 2020. Johnson, a two-year holder in the internal linebacker, led the team in tackles in 2020, with 124 takedowns. He also recorded a sack, two defended passes, two forced fumbles, four loss tackles and five defender hits.
Lindsay, who in 2018 became the first offensive unprepared rookie to make the Pro Bowl, made eight appearances in 2020, but saw his accelerated total drop in 2020 when he shared time with Melvin Gordon III. Lindsay totaled 502 yards and a touchdown in 118 races in 11 games while battling injuries.
Spencer, a Pro Bowl alternate in 2019, also played a prominent role last year for Denver. He spent the past two seasons at the Broncos as the team’s return specialist after a stint in the Canadian Football League. He appeared in 11 games in 2020 and averaged 15.8 yards per punt return. Spencer was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his 83-yard touchdown with a punt in the team’s victory over Carolina. He was the first Bronco to kick back for a score since 2015. Spencer also took three passes for 26 yards in limited appearances in the attack.
Marshall and Anderson, on the other hand, were players of depth for Denver. Marshall, a fourth-year player, appeared in 12 games for the Broncos in 2020 as a safety reserve. He has appeared in 30 games, all with Denver, during his career. Marshall served extensively as a special team contributor in 2020. Anderson, who appeared in 16 games for the Broncos in 2020, made two tackle games last season. He started in Week 10 against the Raiders in the right tackle before filling in the left tackle in Week 13 for Garett Bolles. Anderson, on the other hand, served as a contributor to special teams.