As veteran kick returner Devin Hester gets ready to hit the open market for the first time in his career, he’ll have some competition.
Per a league source, the Broncos have opted not to apply a restricted free agency tender to Trindon Holliday. It means that he’ll become a free agent on March 11.
Holliday, listed at five feet, five inches tall, returned 28 kickoffs in 2013, generating an average of 27.7 yards per attempt in 2013, including a 105-yard touchdown return. He also returned 32 punts, with an average of 8.5 yards and an 81-yard score.
He has four total regular-season return touchdowns in his career. Holliday racked up two in the same postseason game in January 2013, with a 90-yard punt return and a 104-yard kickoff return against the Ravens.
Holliday had the distinction of being undefeated in the 2012 regular season. He played for the 5-0 Texans. Houston then waived him, and the Broncos were 11-0 with Holliday on the roster.
The minimum tender for a restricted free agent is $1.323 million, guaranteeing a right to match any offer received by the player but no compensation if the offer sheet isn’t matched. The Broncos could still try to re-sign Holliday at a lower amount.