The Broncos are 3-2 after five games, and given the way the schedule has laid out, that record looks pretty solid. Denver has had its offensive issues, sure, but this team has once again shown a knack for finishing strong. All three wins have come thanks to second-half surges, and at home the Broncos have been nearly impossible to handle.
That matters now because the trade deadline is creeping closer. November 10 is the date this year, landing on the Tuesday after Week 9, and several teams already look like potential sellers. If that picture holds, Denver could be staring at a real chance to add help.
On Monday, NFL insider Adam Schefter pointed to the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, and Arizona Cardinals as teams that might be willing to move pieces. As he put it:
"The teams that you look at are the teams that aren't winning that can shed salaries and pickup draft picks..
I would look at the Dolphins, Chargers, Titans, and Cardinals" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive https://t.co/ZO6om2KZqP pic.twitter.com/5tqEnIZLx7
The timing could work in Denver’s favor, too. The Broncos face Carolina in Week 9 on November 8, which comes just before the deadline. If they do make a deal, the bye week would give any new addition a chance to settle in before jumping into the next stretch.
A few names already make sense as possible targets. On the Cardinals and Titans, linebacker Mack Wilson, linebacker Cody Barton, and running back Tony Pollard are all players who could be on the move. Wilson and Pollard are set to hit free agency after the season, and Barton is a former Bronco who has watched rookie linebacker Anthony Hill Jr take on a bigger role in Tennessee.
Those three fit Denver’s needs cleanly. The Broncos have had uneven play at linebacker and running back this season, so help at either spot would be easy to justify.
The Chargers are another team Schefter mentioned, but a deal there feels unlikely simply because they’re in the division. Those trades do not happen often, and Denver may have already moved on from that idea.
Miami, though, is the most intriguing possibility. The Broncos and Dolphins have already done business together with the Jaylen Waddle trade, so there’s at least an existing line of communication there. The biggest name that could make sense from Miami is linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
The Dolphins also drafted Jacob Rodriguez in 2026, and he has reportedly been excellent this season. Brooks just got an extension, but his contract could still work in a trade. He’s turning 29 this month, and with Miami still early in its rebuild, it’s fair to wonder whether he’d still be around when that process really takes shape.
From Denver’s side, the fit is obvious. Brooks would address a major need and bring strong play against the run. With more than a month left before the deadline, nothing is settled yet, but the Broncos have a real chance to take advantage if these projected sellers start making moves.
In Other News...
Broncos May Have No Choice But To Trust Jahdae Barron
With Pat Surtain II sidelined, the Broncos are heading into their matchup with the Seahawks needing answers at cornerback, and Jahdae Barron looks like one of the players who could be asked to provide them. The second-year defensive back has been trending toward a larger role, and Denvers preparation this week has only sharpened the focus on how much it can lean on him if the secondary is shuffled again.
Riley Moss could be back in the mix after missing the Chargers game, which would at least give Denver another option, but Barron still appears positioned for meaningful snaps in a game where the Broncos will have to sort out their coverages carefully. The challenge is clear enough without spelling it out much further: if Barron is going to be trusted in a bigger way, this is the kind of receiver test that can show whether the Broncos have found another corner they can count on. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Nix Has A Growing Problem Defenses May Keep Exploiting
Bo Nixs first season in Denver has already included the usual growing pains that come with a rookie quarterback, but the latest issue is less about his arm talent than the way defenses are starting to read his habits. Opponents have seen enough tape to recognize a recurring pattern when pressure arrives, and it has added another layer to an offense that is still trying to find any kind of steady rhythm.
The concern now is whether that tendency is becoming too easy to plan against, especially when the Broncos need Nix to push the ball downfield instead of cutting plays short. The fix sounds simple in theory and much harder in real time: stay in the pocket, trust the protection, and make defenses prove they can win without forcing him to flee at the first sign of a blitz. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Rookie Class Is Raising An Early Sean Payton Concern
Week 5 offered a pretty clear snapshot of where the Broncos stand with their rookie class: only practice-squad cornerback Brent Austin was dressed, while several other first-year players were either inactive, on injured reserve or no longer around. Denver used seven draft picks and kept four on the 53-man roster, but most of that group has barely seen the field so far because of a mix of coaching choices and injuries, leaving the class lighter on immediate help than the team probably hoped.
There is at least some reason to think the picture could change soon, especially in the backfield. Rookie running back Jonah Coleman had shown promise before an ankle injury interrupted his start, and his eventual return should give Denver another option in the rushing attack. For now, though, the early read on this class is less about production and more about how much of it is actually available, which is the kind of thing Sean Payton will be monitoring closely as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]