Report: Broncos place Winn on IR to make room for Riddick

Injured DL Billy Winn is likely done for the season.

Per 9NEWS' insider Mike Klis, the Denver Broncos have placed DL Billy Winn on injured reserve to open up a roster spot for the recently-signed RB Theo Riddick. Winn suffered a partially torn triceps in the preseason opener vs. the Atlanta Falcons. 

Riddick was signed to a one-year deal on Friday and joins a running back depth chart replete with play-makers. I don't know what sort of assurances Riddick received upon signing but his path to the roster has to be pretty secure.

Per Spotrac, Riddick's one-year deal is worth $2.5 million, including $1M fully guaranteed. Considering that the Broncos are already carrying a whopping $21.4M in dead cap, the team brass will be extremely reluctant to add another cool million on top. 

Riddick is making this team, as are Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman. All signs point to the Broncos carrying a fullback once again, with Andy Janovich leading the way. That already brings the RB number to four when it comes time to whittle the 90-man roster down to the final 53. 

Could the Broncos carry five total running backs? It's possible. But it'll be exponentially more difficult to roster that many backs if the Broncos choose to keep three quarterbacks. 

That's why Drew Lock needs every rep he can get with the second-team offense. But I digress. 

Riddick's arrival obviously puts Devontae Booker on thin ice. However, the Broncos are sending some mixed signals here. On one hand, the team adds the pass-catcher, Riddick, but on the other, the Broncos chose not to dress Booker in the preseason opener. 

Booker's inactivity in the Hall of Fame Game could simply be the Broncos trying to keep him healthy to preserve any potential trade value he might have. He won't have much trade value but if the Broncos could get a fourth-round pick for their third-string running Kapri Bibbs a few years back, anything's possible. 

As fo Billy Winn, happy trails, big fella. Winn has had some terrible luck over the last three calendar years. After tearing his ACL in 2017, Winn missed the entire year and then spent 2018 out of football. 

He finally gets back in the saddle and the injury bug jumps up and bites him. It does take some pressure off the D-line competition, where DeMarcus Walker and Dre'Mont Jones are turning up the heat. 

The Broncos also fear that LB Joe Jones suffered a partially torn triceps. No word yet on his prognosis. 

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.