The Denver Broncos made a tough roster decision on Friday and it could come back to haunt them. Denver PostParker Gabriel reported that Denver released veteran quarterback Michael Burton to make room for an interior offensive line.

“The Broncos are releasing veteran FB Mike Burton, but Burton is expected to return to the practice squad and be picked up Sunday in Baltimore.

Denver needed a spot for OL Calvin Throckmorton, who is out of PS levels. It goes to the list of 53 people,” Gabriel said.

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The Broncos have been through this before with Burton, waiving him earlier this season. But he wasn’t pursued by another team and the Broncos were able to re-sign him to the practice squad.

Two months later, the landscape may have changed at fullback in the NFL, and there’s a chance Burton could draw some interest there. After all, he is a veteran linebacker and is just as good for the modern game, finishing as a Pro Bowl alternate last season.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton likes Burton, so it would hurt to see him go elsewhere. Chances are Burton will return to the Broncos via the practice squad, where the team can opt to “raise” him three times on game days.

In Throckmorton’s case, the Broncos have already maxed out the number of tallies they could use on him. With starting center Luke Wattenberg still on injured reserve, Denver’s backup and key interior offensive lineman Alex Forsyth is now Bo Nix’s snapper, so depth is a concern.

Those concerns have led the Broncos to bring up Throckmorton often, and now they must sign him to the active roster or risk losing him. Would that be a big loss? Maybe not, but obviously, when push comes to shove, the Broncos currently seem to value Throckmorton over Burton.

But that’s not quite right because it’s apples and oranges. Burton made a great play last week when the reverse went to wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who pulled up and threw the ball 28 yards to the fullback for a big gain on a trick play.

Payton trusted Burton to make that play and he did. If he pans out like Denver hopes, Payton will get to have his cake and eat it, too, if Burton is re-signed to the practice squad and kept in bed.

There might even be enough time to get Burton re-signed to the practice squad and get him on the road against him. Baltimore Ravens.

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