The Broncos can’t afford to let a possible Colts sell-off pass them by.
With Indianapolis dropping to 2-4 after blowing a lead at home against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, the NFL chatter has already shifted toward what a fire sale might look like. If that door opens, Denver should be ready to walk straight through it and ask about Jonathan Taylor.
That kind of move fits the moment the Broncos are in. They’re in a Super Bowl window, and the 2026 trade deadline has to be treated that way. Denver has leaned heavily into continuity, but the offense has been flat-out bad, and there’s a real case for adding something new before the deadline.
Taylor is the obvious name. At 27, he remains one of the league’s top running backs, and there’s no scenario where the Colts simply hand him over if they start moving pieces. A second-round pick feels like the floor for a deal like this, and for the Broncos, that price could be worth paying.
The money is part of the equation too. Taylor signed a 2-year extension with the Colts worth $44 million, including $39.02 million in guarantees.
That makes the conversation more complicated, because teams don’t usually hand out that kind of guaranteed cash just to move on for a second-rounder. Still, if Indianapolis is motivated to deal, Denver would be taking on his base salary going forward, which is $4.71 million with 12 weeks remaining if a trade happened today.
That number would keep shrinking as the weeks go on, though the Colts are not expected to make an immediate decision.
Denver’s running back situation gives the idea even more traction. Outside of a 16-yard run against the Seahawks last Thursday, JK Dobbins managed 19 touches for just 30 yards from scrimmage. That stretch has only reinforced how shaky the backfield has looked with a bigger workload.
The Broncos are also getting Jonah Coleman back, potentially, for Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals. His fourth-quarter performance in the Week 2 win over the Jaguars has already convinced plenty of people in Broncos Country that he can be part of the answer. That belief only gets stronger knowing he was dealing with an ankle injury in that game.
RJ Harvey has already been defined as the team’s main pass-catching back, but that doesn’t change the bigger picture. If Denver has a shot to upgrade over Dobbins and add a veteran like Taylor, it needs to do it.
This is a championship window. That means no standing still, especially when the current setup has not worked.
And after seeing what Kenneth Walker has done for the Chiefs, the Broncos have a clear example of the kind of impact a move like this can have on an offense. Denver has 10 projected picks for the 2027 NFL Draft, and it should be aggressive enough to use that flexibility if Taylor becomes available.
In Other News...
Broncos Defense Just Raised A Bigger Question About This Team
The Broncos left Seattle with a 17-14 win that looked far more like a defensive statement than a tidy offensive performance. Denver leaned on a unit that was active from start to finish, with Kris Abrams-Draine making a crucial interception, JaQuan McMillian turning in the kind of tackling and playmaking that keeps drives from getting comfortable, and the front line setting the tone under coordinator Vance Joseph.
Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto were central to the pressure plan, and the way Joseph deployed his pieces gave the Seahawks little room to settle in. The bigger question now is what this defense can become if it keeps winning games while the offense sorts itself out, because on this day the Broncos did not just survive on the strength of their defense, they leaned on it heavily enough to make you wonder how often that formula can hold. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Face A Jonathon Cooper Decision With Big Fallout Ahead
Jonathon Cooper has been around the Broncos throughout his time on the NFL commissioners exempt list, even if he has not been on the field. Sean Payton said Cooper completed the steps required by the league after his domestic violence-related arrests, and the veteran defender is now being cleared to rejoin Denver as it prepares for Arizona.
The next phase still carries real consequences, though. Coopers trial is set for March, and the time he spent on the exempt list will count toward any future NFL suspension, leaving the Broncos to balance his return with the uncertainty that remains hanging over the situation. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton May Finally Shake Up Key Broncos Roles In Week 7
Week 7 could bring a few subtle but meaningful tweaks for the Broncos as Sean Payton weighs his options against the Cardinals. The backfield is one area worth watching, with RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman both in position to see more of the load as Denver looks for a spark on the ground. There is also a chance for the coaching staff to keep adjusting on defense as it sorts through recent performances and injury-related uncertainty.
Another wrinkle comes on the edge, where Jonathon Coopers status has been a key part of the conversation as the Broncos prepare for Arizona. At cornerback, the ripple effects could be just as important, with Jahdae Barron in the mix as Denver continues to evaluate its best alignment behind Pat Surtain II. None of these decisions is set yet, but they reflect a team still searching for the right combination as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]