The Broncos came out of Tuesday’s trade deadline with more questions than answers, and one of the biggest centered on how close they got to landing Jonathan Taylor.
Denver was reportedly active behind the scenes on the Colts running back, but Indianapolis’ price tag ended the conversation. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said the Broncos did take a swing at the All-Pro back, though they weren’t willing to meet what the Colts wanted in return.
"I believe Denver gave it a run this week but wasn’t comfortable with the return Indianapolis was seeking," Fowler wrote in his latest intel piece.
That fits with what Broncos reporter Benjamin Allbright said before the deadline, when he noted that Denver "did call about Taylor," but wasn’t interested in matching the Colts’ asking price.
The reported ask was a first-round pick, which helps explain why the deal never got traction. Taylor remains one of the league’s top running backs and is still under 30, so Indianapolis had no real reason to sell low. He’s also not a rental, which gave the Colts even more leverage to hold firm.
For Denver, the fit was obvious. The Broncos have been looking for help at running back, and Taylor would have been a major lift for an offense that has had a rocky start.
Still, the team is sitting in first place in the AFC West, so this wasn’t a panic move. The defense has carried the load all season, and that’s been the team’s identity once again.
The deadline also brought a strange wrinkle with linebacker Daiyan Henley. Denver was said to have acquired the Los Angeles Chargers linebacker, but both sides said Wednesday the trade didn’t go through. The Broncos said it wasn’t finalized and didn’t explain why.
In a perfect world, Denver’s offense would have featured Bo Nix, Jaylen Waddle and Jonathan Taylor as its QB-RB-WR trio. But after sending a first for Waddle in this past draft, another future first for Taylor would have been more than the Broncos wanted to give up.
So for now, Denver moves forward with the JK Dobbins-Jonah Coleman combination at running back. Even so, it wouldn’t be a shock if Taylor’s name comes back into the picture this offseason.
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Broncos Made A Quiet Move That Could Matter In The Playoff Push
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Jonathon Coopers legal issues have left Denver with some uncertainty about how often it can count on him, and that is where Henley could fit in. The Broncos can use him in specific situations or lean on him as a replacement if needed, giving the staff another option at a position where availability can change the picture quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Suddenly Have A Real Linebacker Problem After Trade Collapse
The Broncos were trying to shore up the middle of their defense with a move for Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley, but the deal never got across the finish line. Henley failed his physical in Denver, which immediately put the trade in limbo and left the Broncos reworking the idea of how they wanted to address inside linebacker depth.
Denver and Los Angeles kept talking after the setback, but the sides could not settle on revised terms, and Henley remained with the Chargers. For the Broncos, the result is a familiar kind of late-summer uncertainty: a position group that was supposed to get help is still waiting, and the internal answer at linebacker suddenly looks a lot less settled. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Harbaugh Just Turned A Failed Chargers Trade Into AFC West Drama
The Broncos were in the middle of a rare cross-rival transaction with the Chargers when talks over linebacker Daiyan Henley fell apart, turning what looked like a straightforward AFC West deal into another layer of division intrigue. Los Angeles had lined up a trade framework, and for a moment it appeared Henley could be headed to Denver as both sides worked through the details.
Instead, the process stalled after Denver reviewed Henleys medical report and came back asking for less draft compensation, which the Chargers declined to accept. Jim Harbaugh then made his frustration public, adding a little more heat to a rivalry that already has plenty of it and leaving the Broncos with one more reminder that even agreed-upon deals can unravel fast in this division. [Read more 🡒]