With the NFL trade deadline closing in, the Broncos are at the point where standing still feels like a missed opportunity. Denver has put itself in position to chase the AFC West again, and it still has a real shot at the top seed in the AFC. That kind of setup doesn’t come around often, and it’s why the front office should be looking hard at ways to strengthen the roster before the deadline passes.
The simplest case for action starts with the roster itself. There are obvious spots that need help, and the biggest ones are running back and tight end.
Denver’s backfield has taken hits this season, and the one notable runner who has stayed on the field, J.K. Dobbins, is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry.
Jonah Coleman has flashed, but he has only played in three NFL games, which makes it difficult to picture the Broncos leaning on him as the clear RB1 in a Super Bowl window.
Tight end hasn’t offered much relief either. The Evan Engram era has not worked out, Adam Trautman is just a guy, and Nate Adkins has not really become anything of note.
That leaves Denver with major needs at two spots that can change the shape of an offense. The run game matters more, and with the Broncos apparently having some level of interest in Jonathan Taylor, the timing makes sense.
There’s also the bigger picture, and it’s a reminder that windows don’t stay open forever. The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2024 and are now 2-6 and heading toward a needed rebuild.
The Chiefs beat them that year, then won just six games in 2025 and missed the playoffs. Even the Seattle Seahawks, the reigning champs, are now 4-4 and likely fighting for a playoff spot.
The message is plain: nothing beyond this season is promised.
That matters for Denver because its Super Bowl window opened in 2025 and is still open in 2026. It does not guarantee the same opportunity in 2027, when key players will be another year older and roster turnover will be part of the equation. The Broncos need to take advantage now, especially after last year was derailed by Bo Nix’s ankle injury.
And the AFC itself gives Denver another reason to push. The conference is crowded, with half the field sitting on five or six wins and two more teams on four.
Three teams have six wins, and the current Wild Card group in Kansas City, Cincinnati, and New England can all still win their divisions. The Broncos hold the No. 2 seed right now, but that alone won’t keep them ahead of the pack.
Denver does have some real strengths, especially its pass rush and its late-game heroics. But in a conference this tight, those advantages can be matched or erased quickly.
That’s why the deadline matters. The Broncos have one of the five most talented teams in football, and there are still ways to make it better.
A move that brings in a player like Jonathan Taylor would give Denver something it has not consistently had: a legitimate, steady, threatening run game. That logic applies beyond the backfield, too, but the clearest path to another edge runs right through running back.
In Other News...
Broncos Face A Stretch That Could Decide The AFC West
Denvers comeback win over the Chiefs pushed the Broncos to 6-2 and put them in first place in the AFC West, but the real test may be what comes next. A three-game stretch against the Panthers, Raiders and Steelers gives the Broncos a chance to separate themselves from the division pack, and it also offers a cleaner read on just how real this start is once the schedule turns from statement wins to week-to-week survival.
The matchup with Carolina looks like the kind Denver should handle if it keeps playing the way it has on both sides of the ball, while the Raiders game carries the usual division-game edge that can make even a favored team sweat. Pittsburgh is the one that feels most likely to tell the story of this stretch, because it brings a different kind of challenge and could force Denver to win in a much tighter, more physical game than the first two. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Biggest Win Came Down To An Unlikely Defender
The Broncos comeback win over the Chiefs had plenty of familiar faces in big moments, but one of the most important plays came from a defender who had barely been on the field all season. JL Skinner, a safety who had logged only two defensive snaps before this game, was pressed into action because injuries thinned out Denvers secondary and ended up playing nine defensive snaps in the 28-24 victory.
Skinners biggest contribution came at the goal line, where Denver needed every stop it could get to hang on. Sean Payton pointed to the depth of the defense and the way younger players stepped in when called upon, and Skinners night fit that theme perfectly, turning an unexpected opportunity into a play the Broncos will remember from one of their biggest wins. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Quarterback Depth Could Suddenly Matter In Baltimores Crisis
Baltimores quarterback situation has gone from shaky to urgent, with Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley both dealing with injuries and rookie Joe Fagnano now expected to start. ESPNs Adam Schefter has already pointed out that the Ravens could be forced to look outside the building for help, and that kind of scramble always sends teams around the league checking their own depth charts a little more closely.
For Denver, the conversation is less about need than about fit and timing. The Broncos have Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger on the roster, and Stidhams background could make him a logical name to monitor if Baltimore decides it has to act. Whether Denver would be willing to part with a quarterback at all is another question, but a Ravens crisis has a way of turning a quiet backup situation into one worth watching. [Read more 🡒]