The Broncos don’t have to squint to see it: this is a team in a real Super Bowl window, and that means the trade deadline has to be approached like it matters. With Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals looming, Denver’s shortlist of possible upgrades starts to look pretty intriguing.
The obvious issue is the offense, but the bigger picture is that the Broncos have already sent signals that they believe this roster can win now. They brought back a lot of last year’s group and added Jaylen Waddle in the offseason.
That kind of move says plenty. So when the deadline gets close, Denver should be thinking bigger than patchwork help.
A running back upgrade sits near the top of the conversation, and Tony Pollard makes a lot of sense. The Titans have five running backs on their 53-man roster, they’re 1-5, and GM Mike Borgonzi could be willing to deal.
Pollard would give the Broncos a veteran who has topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage every year since 2021 and 1,000 rushing yards every year since 2022. He has also missed only two games in the last six seasons combined, dating to 2021.
On top of that, he brings value as a runner, on passing downs, and as a return man.
Another name that fits what Denver needs is Colby Parkinson. The tight end idea already makes sense because of the Broncos’ lack of production at the position and the impact that spot has on the run game.
Parkinson, suggested by Broncos analyst Nick Kendell of Mile High Huddle, checks a lot of boxes. He is 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, he is a good blocker, and he’s still only 27.
He also has a red-zone résumé, with 8 touchdown catches last season.
Saquon Barkley is a different kind of swing, but he belongs on the board too. He hasn’t played since the Eagles’ October 4 loss to the Rams because of a hamstring injury, yet he is still averaging 5.1 yards per carry this season.
With Jalen Hurts on IR and likely out for the season because of a blood clot situation, Philadelphia could move into more of an evaluation mode. Howie Roseman has already moved on from Cam Jurgens and AJ Brown this year, so Barkley should not be treated as untouchable.
His base salaries are under $1.5 million over the next four years, including 2026.
The Colts might end up being the most obvious seller, and that puts Quenton Nelson firmly on Denver’s radar. Indianapolis fired general manager Chris Ballard with a few weeks left before the 2026 NFL trade deadline, and that usually points toward a reset of some kind.
Nelson is 30, he’s in a contract year, and the Colts need draft capital after being left without a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Denver’s own guard situation has been a quiet problem, from asking Ben Powers to take a pay cut this offseason, to not letting Alex Palczewski compete for a starting job, to drafting Kage Casey as a future replacement.
Nelson alongside Quinn Meinerz would give the Broncos what might be the best guard duo in the NFL.
And then there’s Jonathan Taylor, the headliner at the top of the list. The numbers around JK Dobbins tell a frustrating story: according to NFL Next Gen Stats, he’s facing 8+ men in the box 17.28 percent of the time, which is the 6th-lowest rate among backs with at least 45 carries through six weeks and the 3rd-lowest among backs with 60 or more carries.
In other words, defenses are not stacking the deck against Denver’s run game. They’re daring the Broncos to win on the ground, and that hasn’t happened.
Dobbins has only 3.3 yards per carry, and that’s part offensive line, part a back who doesn’t look like himself. Taylor would change the equation.
He already has 655 yards from scrimmage and 7 total touchdowns this season, and if Indianapolis is willing to listen, Denver needs to be in the conversation.
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