DENVER — There are undrafted free-agent rookies and there are premium undrafted free-agent rookies who get decent signing bonuses.
Premium free agents who get decent signing bonuses are not nearly the underdogs to make the 53-man roster as people think.
Broncos’ running back Phillip Lindsay and outside linebacker Jeff Holland are premium undrafted rookies who got relatively high, $15,000 signing bonuses.
Both had a great chance to make the Broncos’ season-opening, 53-man roster before they stepped foot in the locker room in May. Their chances increased after they played well in the Broncos’ preseason-opening loss Saturday night to the Minnesota Vikings.
“Oh, that stuff, I’ve got to focus on special teams,’’ Lindsay said. “It’s early, it’s about being consistent. The NFL is about doing it consistently and I need to do it on special teams.’’
With salaries soaring on the top of every team’s payroll – the Broncos, for instance, are paying $19 million to Von Miller, $18.4 million to first-round draft pick Bradley Chubb, $18 million to Case Keenum and $12.5 million to Demaryius Thomas this season – the so-called eighth-round players are needed to help balance the budget.
The Broncos have had an undrafted rookie make their season-opening roster in 13 of the past 14 seasons. Other teams have similar runs.
The Broncos used Lindsay as a gunner on punts and returner on kickoffs against the Vikings. His strength, though, is as a third-down back.
It was perhaps a telling sign that Lindsay was the third running back to enter the game – behind Devontae Booker and third-round rookie Royce Freeman, but ahead of second-year player De’Angelo Henderson.
Lindsay had catch-and-runs of 16 yards down the right sideline and 19 yards down the middle for a touchdown. Both receptions were off passes thrown by Chad Kelly.
“That was a choice route,’’ Lindsay said of his touchdown. “It gives you the opportunity to go inside or outside. They gave me inside leverage, so I went in. Kelly was able to find me, and we were able to make a play. It was a good feeling.’’
Holland, an edge rusher from Auburn who had 9.5 sacks as a junior last year, used his slap-trap maneuver to beat the right tackle and sack Vikings’ quarterback Kyle Sloter halfway through the third quarter.
“I work on that all the time,’’ Holland said. “It felt good. It was like a dream come true. That’s what I dreamed of growing up, that’s one of the things I wanted to accomplish in my first NFL game.’’
It may be a little more difficult for Holland to crack the 53 as the Broncos are already deep in edge rushers with Miller, Chubb, Shane Ray and Shaq Barrett. But if Holland keeps getting to the quarterback – he has been mixing in with the first-team defense during training camp that begins its final week Monday – they’ll keep a spot for him.
“Coach told me after the game, he just said keep ballin’,’’ Holland said. “Keep doing my job and everything is going to work out.’’
