Broncos Rescind Phillip Lindsay’s Tender
Change of plans. On Thursday, the Broncos announced that Phillip Lindsay’s tender has been rescinded. 
[RELATED: Broncos Add Mike Boone]
The running back was originally assigned the low restricted free agency tender, giving the Broncos one more year of club control at a rate of $2.133MM. However, the Broncos found another tailback in Vikings free agent Mike Boone, which meant that Lindsay was no longer needed.
The 26-year-old broke out with 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018 en route to a Pro Bowl nod. He followed that up with another strong season in 2019, compiling 1,207 yards from scrimmage and seven scores. However, the 26-year-old was pushed down in the pecking order last year by Melvin Gordon. Lindsay wound up with just 502 rushing yards and one touchdown in eleven games, plus seven grabs for 28 yards. Gordon, meanwhile, finished out with 986 yards and nine scores.
With Gordon, Boone, Royce Freeman, Levante Bellamy, Jeremy Cox, and Damarea Crockett all under contract, there was little sense in keeping Lindsay. His reps recognized this too, so they’ve mutually decided to tear up the tender.
Giants To Sign QB Mike Glennon
The Giants have signed veteran quarterback Mike Glennon. A pal of Glennon’s, Brandon Bishop, first broke the news on Twitter. It has since been confirmed by several reporters, including NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). It’s a one-year deal worth $1.35MM, including $425K guaranteed, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter).
Glennon has started in just nine games since 2016, but remains a highly respected backup and mentor. In New York, he’ll backstop and quasi-coach youngster Daniel Jones who will look to rekindle his rookie year magic.
Glennon, 31, projects to replace Colt McCoy, who failed to impress last year. Meanwhile, Glennon’s five starts in Jacksonville didn’t go so great, either. All in all, he completed 62% of his throws for 1,072 yards and seven touchdowns against five interceptions.
Terms of Glennon’s deal are not yet known, but it’ll pale in comparison to the three-year, $45MM deal he inked with the Bears in 2017. In total, Glennon has earned roughly $30MM across his pro career.
Patriots Cut Marqise Lee, Beau Allen
The Patriots’ spending spree has pushed a handful of veterans out the door. Wide receiver Marqise Lee and defensive tackle Beau Allen have been released, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Patriots’ Patrick Chung Retires]
Neither Allen nor Lee saw a regular season snap in New England. Lee signed with the Patriots in April on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. The 29-year-old (30 in November) was expected to support a wide receiver group led by Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu, and N’Keal Harry. Between the opt-out and injuries, he’s a long way removed from his best work in 2016-17, when he totaled 1,551 receiving yards for the Jaguars. Instead of bringing him back, the Patriots will release him to save less than $800K.
Allen, 29, was supposed to replace Danny Shelton after he went to Detroit. Unfortunately, an undisclosed injury kept him on the shelf all year.
Patriots’ Patrick Chung Retires
Patrick Chung announced that he is retiring from the NFL (Instagram link). Chung opted out of the 2020 season but was said to be aiming for a 2021 return. 
The Patriots selected Chung in the second round of the 2009 draft, and he spent all but one year of his career with New England. In that time, he’s started in 112 regular season games and collected three Super Bowl rings. He was never been selected for a Pro Bowl, but was an important member of the Patriots’ D nonetheless.
In May of last year, the Patriots re-upped Chung on an extension that would allow him to earn up to $12.8MM over the next four seasons. In 2019, his last season on the field, Chung appeared in 13 games and registered 51 tackles, three passes defended, and one tackle for loss.
The Pats may go shopping for safety help, but they could also stand pat with their current group. Chung’s retirement leaves them with starters Devin McCourty and Adrian Phillips, plus support from rising NFL sophomore Kyle Dugger. New arrival Jalen Mills could also pitch in at safety after agreeing to a four-year, $24MM free agent deal, though he’s likely ticketed for more work at corner.
Bengals Sign DL Larry Ogunjobi
Larry Ogunjobi is staying in the AFC North. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the defensive lineman, who spent the first four years of his career with the Browns, is heading to the Bengals on a one-year deal (Twitter link).
This represents yet another defensive acquisition for Cincinnati, which has added a pair of cornerbacks — Mike Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie — and defensive end Trey Hendrickson over the past several days. The Bengals have tangled with Ogunjobi two times per season since he entered the league as a third-round draft choice in 2017, and they were apparently impressed.
They also got him for less of a commitment than many expected. As of late January, Spotrac pegged Ogunjobi’s market value at three years and roughly $28MM, and as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote at the time, the Browns were not going to be involved in the bidding if it got to that point. But Ogunjobi, as many players have done, elected to take a one-year pact with the hopes of hitting the market again in 2022, when the salary cap should dramatically increase.
Pro Football Focus was not high on Ogunjobi’s work in 2020, grading him as the 105th-best interior defender out of 125 qualifiers. But he has been a full-time starter since 2018 and has shown some ability to generate interior pass rush (14.5 career sacks) while holding up against the run. Just 26, he still might not have hit his ceiling, and his presence could allow the Bengals to part with stalwart Geno Atkins.
Atkins, who will turn 33 later this month, has been rumored as a cap casualty after an injury-marred 2020 season. His release would free up $9.5MM of cap room.
Lions To Sign QB Tim Boyle
Tim Boyle is sticking around the NFC North. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the veteran quarterback is signing with the Lions. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets that it’s a one-year deal worth $2.5MM, including $1.5MM guaranteed.
Boyle joined the Packers as an undrafted free agent back in 2018, and he became a bit of a cult hero as Aaron Rodgers‘ backup over the past few years. The 26-year-old has seen time in 11 career games, mostly as a human victory cigar; he has 18 “carries” for -16 yards. He’s attempted four passes in his brief career, connecting on three of them for 15 yards.
The 26-year-old was set to hit restricted free agency this offseason, but the Packers decided to not tender the fan favorite. The Packers will move forward with 2020 first-rounder Jordan Love as the definitive backup quarterback.
The Lions were presumably looking for some reinforcement at the position after letting go of Chase Daniel earlier this week. Boyle will likely compete with David Blough for backup reps behind Jared Goff.
Patriots To Sign Kyle Van Noy
After one season with the division-rival Dolphins, Kyle Van Noy is heading back to Foxborough. The Patriots are signing the soon-to-be 30-year-old linebacker, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says that it will be a two-year pact worth up to $13.2MM (Twitter link).
A second-round pick of the Lions in 2014, Van Noy saw very little playing time until he was traded to the Pats in 2016. From 2017-19, the BYU product served as a full-time starter for New England and became a well-respected leader in the team’s locker room.
In his walk year in 2019, Van Noy had 56 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles as an integral part of a Patriots defense that was putting up historic numbers for much of that season. He parlayed that success into a four-year, $51MM contract with the Dolphins one year and one day ago, but he did not make it to a second season in South Beach. After failing to find a trade partner — not surprising given that Van Noy was due a $12.75MM salary in 2021 — Miami cut him last week.
Pro Football Focus’ metrics considered Van Noy the 26th-best linebacker out of 83 qualifiers in 2020, and his highest score came in the pass rush category. While he has never posted double-digit sacks, he can make opposing QBs uncomfortable, and he is good enough against the run to be a solid three-down ‘backer. His locker room presence is an added benefit, and New England can deploy him in a variety of roles.
The Patriots, of course, have stolen headlines over the legal tampering period and into the first day of the new league year, putting their ample amount of cap space to work by acquiring high-profile talents on both sides of the ball. It can certainly be argued that the team overpaid for a couple of those players, but Bill Belichick & Co. are clearly taking their absence from the playoffs in 2020 as a personal affront. Van Noy, along with fellow new additions Matt Judon and Davon Godchaux, should be a big boost to the club’s front seven.
Browns To Re-Sign WR Rashard Higgins
Rashard Higgins is heading back to Cleveland. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Browns are re-signing the free agent wideout. It will be a one-year deal for Higgins.
The 2016 fifth-round pick has spent his entire career in Cleveland, appearing in 67 regular season games in parts of five seasons. The wideout had one of his best seasons in 2020, hauling in 37 receptions for 599 yards and four touchdowns.
In total, the 26-year-old has collected 113 career receptions for 1,615 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Browns have been a bit quiet this week, but securing Higgins’ services assures that they’ll return much of the same receiving corps next season. Barring a trade, Higgins will likely slide in behind Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry on the depth chart.
Giants To Sign DL Ifeadi Odenigbo
Ifeadi Odenigbo is heading to the Big Apple. The defensive lineman is signing with the Giants, according to his agency on Twitter. It’s a one-year pact for Odenigbo. The deal is worth $2.5MM, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
After bouncing around the NFL a bit to start his career, Odenigbo broke onto the scene in 2019 with the Vikings. The defensive lineman ultimately finished the campaign having compiled 23 tackles, seven sacks, and one forced fumble despite appearing in only 34 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.
The 26-year-old took on a starting role in 2020, compiling 35 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 15 games (15 starts). Despite his starting role, he was non-tendered by Minnesota earlier this week.
Now, Odenigbo will enjoy a bit of a homecoming with his new squad. The defensive lineman was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, about a 20-minute drive from MetLife Stadium.
Cowboys Sign LS Jake McQuaide
After a decade with the Rams organization, Jake McQuaide is moving on. The Cowboys announced (on Twitter) that they’ve signed the former Pro Bowl long snapper to a one-year deal.
McQuaide joined the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2011, and he proceeded to spend the next 10 years with the Rams organization. The veteran hasn’t missed a single regular season game since joining the Rams, and he’ll leave the organization ranked 16th in franchise history in games played.
Outside of one offensive snap in 2019, the 33-year-old has exclusively appeared on special teams. Besides his long snapping duties, McQuaide has also compiled nine tackles. He earned Pro Bowl nods in both 2016 and 2017.