There’s no limit to the number of players on IR but their season is done, which dis-incentivizes attempts to store players for later in the same season. The 53 man protected list also limits the strategy of storing injured players. Warren will have to be part of the 53 man active/protected (versus inactive reserve) squad in order to be available later in the year.

The team didn’t have sufficient reason for taking up one more roster spot and waiting for Quinn to return to health, and I wouldn’t either given the presence of Fells and Gronkowski at blocking TE. However, it’s difficult to gauge the Broncos’ interest in Quinn at this point. He’s not valuable enough to warrant a protected spot but then neither was Josh Barrett, whom they hoped to keep. Quinn holds more value than assumed by those who’ve written him him off, but he’s also not so unique that he can’t be replaced.