Broncos Officially Place Three On Injured Reserve Including Rookie QB Drew Lock

The Denver Broncos announced Monday that they’ve officially placed QB Drew Lock, TE Jake Butt and RB Theo Riddick on injured reserve.

On Saturday, Broncos executive VP John Elway told reporters that Lock was headed to injured reserve, so this isn’t a big surprise. 

“It’s not a year off for him,” Elway said of Lock, via the Denver Post. “He’s going to be able to do everything other than being on the football field. And he’ll be able to work on his own and do some different things there, too. I expect him to continue to work hard and get a good feel with everything and keep learning with the offense, understand what he’s doing there and be right in the middle of everything.”

Lock, 22, was selected with the No. 42 overall pick in the second round of this year’s draft by the Broncos out of Missouri. He agreed to a four-year, $7,010,820 rookie contract including a $3,118,776 signing bonus. 

During his four-year college career at Missouri, Lock threw for 12,193 yards, 99 touchdowns and 39 interceptions.  He also added 437 yards rushing and nine touchdowns.

Riddick, 28, is a former sixth-round pick of the Lions back in 2013. He was in the third year of his four-year, $12.3 million contract and set to make base salaries of $2.7 million and $3.2 million over the final two years of the agreement when the Lions released him on Saturday. 

The Broncos signed Riddick to a contract a month ago.

In 2018, Riddick appeared in 14 games for the Lions and rushed for 171 yards on 40 carries (4.3 YPC) to go along with 61 receptions for 384 yards receiving and no touchdowns.

Butt, 24, is a former fifth-round of the Broncos back in 2017. Before he suffered an ACL injury at Michigan, Butt was considered a first-round talent and one of the best tight ends in a very deep class.

Butt signed a four-year, $2.7 million contract with the Broncos that included a $300,948 signing bonus and made base salaries of $555,000 and $645,000 over the first two years of the agreement.

In 2018, Butt appeared in three games and caught eight passes for 85 yards receiving and no touchdowns.