5 NFL players who should demand a trade following free agency
4. Phillip Lindsay
Phillip Lindsay has been a genuine surprise since being undrafted out of Colorado. In his two seasons with the Denver Broncos, he has rushed for over 1,000 yards and averaged over 4.5 yards per carry in both years. He’s also been a reliable weapon in the receiving game, catching 35 passes per year and creating yards after the catch on screens and swing passes.
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Unfortunately for Lindsay, he has had to split the load with the Broncos’ 2018 third-round pick Royce Freeman. In their time together, Lindsay has out-touched Freeman 486 to 319; he had proven that he was the more talented running back and should receive a larger workload. Nonetheless, this offseason, the Broncos demonstrated their lack of faith in Lindsay.
Denver signed former Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon to a two-year, $16 million deal. Gordon, who accumulated 204 touches in only 12 games last season, will presumably be the lead runner and see a greater share of the touches over Lindsay and Freeman.
The signing is questionable, as Gordon has only rushed for over 1,000 yards once in his career and has failed to eclipse four yards per carry in four of his past five seasons. Yet, the financial investment in Gordon suggests he will receive favorable treatment and take away a substantial portion of Lindsay’s workload.
Lindsay has demonstrated he has the capability to be a bell-cow running back, yet he has not been awarded the opportunity to cement his position. With Gordon in the fold, it is unlikely Lindsay will be able to receive enough volume to put together another 1,000-yard season. The former undrafted free agent should request a trade to a destination where he could see a favorable share of carries and demonstrate his ability to work outside of a timeshare.