ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Theo Riddick, who is considered one of the top passing game running backs in the league, visited the Broncos Monday.
Riddick met with general manager John Elway, head coach Vic Fangio and others at the team headquarters. The running back then left the facility without a deal. League sources tell 9News that Riddick will take some time to decide between the Broncos and New Orleans Saints.
Riddick played six seasons with the Detroit Lions. In the past four seasons he averaged 61.75 catches and 473 receiving yards. He was released Saturday in large part because he was owed a $3.2 million salary.
He took a physical Monday but left Broncos headquarters. There's still a chance the Broncos will sign Riddick and have him compete with Devontae Booker for the team’s third-down running back slot.
Riddick, 28, is more pass catcher than rusher. Last year with the Lions, he had 61 catches for 384 yards while rushing just 40 times, albeit for 171 yards and a 4.3-yard average.
Here are Riddick’s receiving stats the past four years with the Lions:
2015 … 80 catches … 697 yards … 3 TDs
2016 … 53 catches … 371 yards … 5 TDs
2017 … 53 catches … 444 yards … 2 TDs
2018 … 61 catches … 384 yards … 0 TDs
Totals … 247 catches … 1,896 …. 10 TDs
Riddick was a problem for Fangio’s Chicago Bears’ defense in recent years. In 2018, Riddick had 13 catches for 108 yards in two games against the Bears. In 2017, Riddick had 17 carries for 84 yards (4.94-yard average) against Chicago.
The Broncos have Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman as their top two running backs.
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