'He's the type of guy we want to extend': GM George Paton details discussions with Justin Simmons as free agency approaches

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WHICH LEVEL?


Denver also has a slew of restricted free agents with which to negotiate, including running back Phillip Lindsay, wide receiver Tim Patrick and linebacker Alexander Johnson.


"We're still working through [options regarding] Phillip," Paton said about Lindsay. "Phillip's a good player, very passionate. Obviously [he] had some injuries last year, but he's a good player, he brings energy, he brings juice."


Paton said the team plans to tender all three of those players in hopes of keeping them, but he did not disclose the level at which they would be tendered. Teams can tender restricted free agents at a first-, second- or original-round level. Other teams are then able to try to sign those players. If Denver chooses to match that hypothetical offer, the Broncos would keep the player in question. If the Broncos pass on matching, though, they would receive the draft pick associated with the tender placed on the player. Because the three above players are all undrafted, the Broncos would not receive compensation if they placed orginal-round tenders on the players and then chose not to match an offer sheet.


TO BE DISCUSSED AT A LATER DATE


The Broncos must decide whether to exercise Bradley Chubb's fifth-year option by May 3, but Paton said those discussions will occur after the draft.


"It's only March," Paton said. "We'll get into that. We're in draft meetings now. We just finished free-agent meetings. We've got free agency coming up in a week or so and then we've got the draft. We'll have those discussions after the draft, but Bradley, he's a kid obviously [we] want to be here long term."


If the team picks up Chubb's option, his salary would be fully guaranteed through 2022. Under the new CBA, his fifth-year salary would be equivalent to the 2021 transition tag for outside linebackers.